"WE HAVE PUT TURKEY TRAIN ON THE EU TRACK IN THE LAST FIVE YEARS AND THE TRAIN IS NOW MOVING FORWARD THANKS TO OUR EFFORTS"

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis received "United Europe Path" project students at the Secretariat General for EU Affairs.

In his speech to the students, Bagis said that they had put Turkey train on the EU track in the last five years and they achieved much success as a consequence of their efforts.

Bagis thanked the students who came to Turkey within the scope of the project and stated that Turkey strived for EU membership for 50 years but no result could be achieved for 45 years and he added that however they made good progress in the last 5 years they needed support and motivation.

Indicating that Europe couldn't overcome many of its problems alone, Bagis noted that EU wouldn't be able to cope with issues such as human and drug trafficking, fight against terror by itself without cooperating with Turkey.

Bagis also asked the visiting students for support and said that the young were the future of their countries and Turkey needed their support.

Emphasizing that many people had prejudiced ideas about Turkey, Bagis said: "Try to explain what you see here in Turkey in your country and help eliminate the prejudices towards Turkey."

Bagis noted that they had made many reforms in order to increase the life standards of the people in Turkey, to improve the human rights and democracy and to protect the environment and he added that, as a result, they had made great progress.

Stating that, as Turkey, they had carried out many works in order to bring peace to Turkey's own region apart from dealing with its domestic problems, Bagis emphasized that, within that scope, they had acted as a mediator among the problematic countries such as Russia-Georgia, Azerbaijani-Armenia, Israel-Palestine and he added that, throughout the history, world had gone through many wars and that Turkey did not want wars in the region any more.

At the end of his speech, Bagis said: "Turkey is in the farthest east of the west and is in the farthest west of the east and this is what makes Turkey unique in the world." Bagis noted that, with its diplomatic relations, Turkey would bring peace to the region.

Ahmet Karaca, the project coordinator of "United Europe Path", said that they had brought 20 students from 6 countries within the project and he added that they had found the opportunity to introduce them the Turkish culture and traditions and therefore they were willing to eliminate the prejudices about Turkey.

Resource: AA