Egemen Bagis, Turkish state minister and negotiator on EU membership, says that there is no alternative to the membership of Ankara in the organization, RIA Novosti reports.
Bagis’s statement was made after French President Nicolas Sarkozy said that Turkish membership in the EU would not benefit the EU. Sarkozy offered Turkey privileged partnership status and expressed his refusal to welcome Turkey into the organization in an interview with Channel-D on Friday while on a visit to Ankara.
Turkey started negotiations on joining the EU in October 2005. Turkey needs to fulfill 13 out of 35 points of membership. 18 points were frozen for political reasons, including the Turkish position on the Cyprus issue.
Bagis said that Turkey has a clear position on European integration and strives for full-fledged membership of the EU, CNN-Turk reports.
