The US President has urged the EU to begin talks to bring Turkey into the European Union
Published:
27 June 2004 y., Sunday
The US President has urged the EU to begin talks to bring Turkey into the European Union.
"As Turkey meets the EU standards for membership, the European Union should begin talks that will lead to full membership for the republic of Turkey", Mr Bush told Journalists after an EU-US summit in Dromoland, Ireland.
Mr Bush’s comments came just hours before he arrives in Turkey for a NATO summit.
"Turkey is a proud nation that successfully blends a European identity with Islamic traditions", he said.
External Relations Commissioner Chris Patten said that the EU alone would decide if Turkey had met the criteria to begin talks on membership adding that he understood Mr Bush’s interest.
"America has a geo-strategic interest in a democracy in a modern Islamic state being consolidated", he said.
The Commission is scheduled to present its opinion on whether Ankara has fulfilled the political criteria for membership of the 25 country bloc in October. On the basis of this report, EU leaders will then decide in December if formal membership negotiations should be opened with the country.
Šaltinis:
EUOBSERVER / DROMOLAND
Copying, publishing, announcing any information from the News.lt portal without written permission of News.lt editorial office is prohibited.
The most popular articles
On 24 September in New York, Lithuania convened the first informal meeting of foreign ministers since the beginning of its Presidency of the Community of Democracies.
more »
September 22-24, Lithuanian and Estonian participants will gather in the training for steering groups of the Baltic Battalion's subdivisions to be held in the Lithuanian Grand Duke Algirdas Infantry Battalion in Rukla.
more »
On September 23-25, the First Sea Lord and Chief of the UK Naval Staff Admiral Sir Mark Stanhope will pay a formal visit in Lithuania.
more »
On 17 September in Kabul, six Italian soldiers were killed and four more were wounded...
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė sent congratulations to Mr. José Manuel Barroso on his approval by the European Parliament as President of the European Commission.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Dalia Grybauskaitė met with Belarusian President Alexander Lukashenko and the accompanying delegation visiting Lithuania.
more »
Chief of Defence of Lithuania Maj. Gen. Arvydas Pocius will take part in the meeting of NATO Defence Committee held in Lisbon, Portugal, September 18-21.
more »
During a meeting of the European Union’s General Affairs and External Relations Council on 14-15 September in Brussels, Lithuania’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Vygaudas Ušackas and his counterparts discussed the preparation for the European Council on 29-30 October and etc.
more »
On September 12 charitable table soccer tournament will be held in Alytus to raise funds for table soccer equipment to be sent to Afghanistan, for schoolchildren in Ghowr.
more »
September 8, Minister of National Defence Rasa Juknevičienė will attend celebrities of sanctification of a monument put up in Gruzdiškės Hill (Raseinių Township) for victims of resistance fights.
more »