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
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received Admiral Michael G. Mullen, Chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff.
more »
Lithuanian Ambassador Mečys Laurinkus presented credentials to President of Georgia Mikheil Saakashvili.
more »
On 21 October, Lithuanian Minister of Foreign Affairs Petras Vaitiekūnas received Rabbi Andrew Baker, a representative of the American Jewish Committee, who is visiting Vilnius.
more »
President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received participants of the conference “Historic Significance of the Reciprocal Guarantee of Lithuania and Poland and the Present Day”.
more »
The President of the Republic of Lithuania Valdas Adamkus received the Ambassador of Portugal Antonio Manuel Moreira Tanger Correa, finishing the second term of office as the Ambassador.
more »
At the United Nations in New York, Lithuania raised the issue of dumped chemical weapons at seas. It is the first initiative of this kind on the UN agenda.
more »
President Valdas Adamkus wished President Ilham Aliyev of Azerbaijan, re-elected for the second term of presidency, to continue the important and responsible duties of his office.
more »
During the “Common World: Progress through Diversity” Forum in Astana, Lithuania‘s Foreign Minister and representatives from more than 60 states discussed the issues of strengthening tolerance and dialogue between the Western and Muslim worlds, as well as possibilities to promote security and stability.
more »
President of the United States George W.Bush received Lithuania‘s Ambassador to the USA at the White House in Washington and informed about the decision to remove the visa requirements for Lithuania’s citizens travelling to the United States as of November this year.
more »
On 16 October, Lithuanian ambassador Arūnas Vinčiūnas presented credentials to the President of Bulgaria Georgi Parvanov.
more »