TURKEY SHOULD BE APPRECIATED

Making a comment to Star Newspaper on his trip to Germany as a companion of the Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said: “Europe should keep in mind the general principle as ‘he, who laughs last, laughs the best’ and should appreciate Turkey”. 

Minister Bagis included the following in his article:

The study visit of our Prime Minister to Germany on 30-31 October proved quite fruitful in terms of both bilateral relations and Turkey’s EU accession process and strong messages were given during the visit.

In this respect, in addition to our visits as a companion of H.E Prime Minister, I made a speech on the future of Turkey- EU relations in a conference organized by Konrad Adenauer Foundation within the scope of this visit.

During the conference, I expressed this: If the first chairman of the Konrad Adenauer of Christian Democratic Union in Germany also known as CDU were alive today, he would be one of the most passionate supporters of Turkey’s EU membership.

As indicating this, I have also counted on the strong friendship of Turkey and Germany throughout the history.

Turkey’s EU membership definitely provides a historical opportunity to build European geography’s future together.

One of the most important indicators of this opportunity is the 250th anniversary of the profound friendship and collaboration of Turkey and Germany, which will be celebrated in the year 2013.

Konrad Adenauer visited Turkey 58 years ago, and made important contacts in Ankara, Izmir and Istanbul on 18-26 March 1954.

On 14 March 1954, a couple of days before his Turkey visit, Adenauer had given the following message to the Turkish people via Turkish News Agency:

“I am very excited to visit the deep-rooted cultural centre of Turkey and to personally witness the great developments of the young and brave Turkish Republic. Above all, I will be glad to get acquainted with the Turkish nation and its representatives on the grounds of Turkish-German friendship that has a history of ages.”

As stated one of the most important statesman of Germany, Konrad Adenauer, Turkey and Germany shares a rooted centuries old friendship.

In accordance with this friendship, our Prime Minister inaugurated the new Turkish Embassy in Berlin during our visit there.

The investment made for this new Turkish Embassy in Berlin proves our belief in the future of cooperation between Turkey and Germany, and our Embassy will continue to advance for the friendship of both countries.

We believe and hope that our new embassy building will be the sign and guarantee of Germany’s support to Turkey’s RU perspective.

EU membership objective has been a state policy for the Republic of Turkey for more than a half century, and it also has become the most important part of a vision of Turkey protecting and covering universal values. We regard the EU project as the most important project of human history.

The vision of Konrad Adenauer, who was the most important political actor in Germany’s rising from the ashes and becoming the greatest economic and political power of Europe following the war, for the European integration offers an insight for the present.

In this respect, rapidly changing global dynamics and common interests make Turkey-EU integration more and more essential and indispensable.

Turkey’s EU membership will create a win-win situation for both sides. Turkey will play a key role in the EU’s reaching a more powerful, more secure and more stable future. The European Union, which has been struggling with one of the greatest crisis of its history, should not ignore the dynamism that Turkey will bring with its EU membership.

Thanks to its unique strategic position and the successful proactive foreign policy that it has been pursuing in its region and the world, Turkey has also been underlining its commitment in making the continental peace project of European Union global.

Our European Union objective, which is far beyond the daily discussions and developments, is marked by a lasting, long term and visionary view.

We consider enlargement not as exhaustion but stimulation.

In such a period when Europe is struggling with the economic crisis, the effort by Germany to lead the EU must also be reflected in the enlargement process of the EU.

We strongly believe that the enlargement exhaustion the EU suffers will be overcome by Germany’s capacity to lead the EU.

Germany and Turkey are not distant from each other, and neither are German and Turkish people.

What brings us closer is not solely limited to our workers who settled in Germany after 1960, our children who were born there or our businessmen and trade relations.

These play key roles in relations of two countries, but our relations have deeper roots.

Nearly 3 million Turkish people living in Germany have contributed for 50 years to the development and progress of Germany, and to become a strong country, and they still continue to do it.

Today, there are Turkish people not as guest workers, not as foreigners but as citizens of Germany who are fluent in German besides their mother tongue Turkish and who contribute to the economy of Germany.

For example, it is assumed that the number of Turkish enterprises in Germany will be more than 120.000 in 2015, in these enterprises employment will be provided for 720.000 persons and the annual turnover of the enterprises may reach to 66 billion Euros.

All these figures demonstrate that Turkish people in Germany are now beyond the integration discussions, and became the decent and equal members of German society.

This strong connection between Turkey and Germany is also an opportunity which should not be wasted for our EU process to progress.

Therefore, we should not waste our time on imaginary proposals which do not take place in the acquis communitare. We think that, by strengthening the relationship between Turkey and EU which is continuing on a real and concrete base, we should evaluate this relationship.

Privileged partnership is a point which we are longing for in the realtions with Germany but not with the EU. This privileged partnership is already active between Turkey and Germany in many fields.

Our target is full membership to the EU and within the scope of this target, we are determined to realize the necessary reforms.

Before he died, Konrad Adenauer’s last words were: “There is nothing to cry for”.

We will not feel sorry for those who try to prevent Turkey’s EU accession. But, it shouldn’t be forgotten that there would be a non-recoverable cost that the EU should pay if it loses Turkey.

They should keep in mind the general principle as ‘he, who laughs last, laughs the best’ and should appreciate Turkey.

Source: http://haber.stargazete.com/politika/turkiyenin-kiymeti-bilinmeli/haber-701819