Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan.2
By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:
With the protraction of the talks on Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU), the country will have to seek alternatives to it, a board member of Turkey's ruling Justice and Development Party, Mazhar Bagli told Trend.
He said Turkey has built its relations with EU based on human rights and democracy.
"Although Turkey has decided on its relations with EU, this organization hasn't decided on its relations with Turkey yet," Bagli said, adding that it is a problem.
Turkey has fulfilled the main political and economic requirements of EU and thus created opportunities for starting negotiations on new paragraphs, according to the board member of the ruling party.
Although Turkey has fulfilled its obligations to EU, it continues postponing Turkey's accession to this structure, said Bagli, adding that this affects the country's motivation to continue the talks.
The official negotiations on Turkey's accession to the EU were resumed in 2005.
Earlier, Turkey's then Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the EU continues to mislead Turkey [on the accession issue] and this upsets the country.
Turkish Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc earlier said that if previously, 75 percent of Turkey's population supported the country's accession to EU, currently, this figure has dropped to 20 percent.
Turkey has fulfilled 65 percent of its commitments to the EU for accession to this organization.
Earlier, Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Volkan Bozkir said the negotiations between Turkey and EU can't continue in the format required by the organization.
He said EU pursues arrogant policy with respect to Turkey, which is inadmissible for the country. Bozkir added that Turkey will not be concerned if EU adopts a decision not to accept it to the membership.
Furthermore, the minister said that democracy in Turkey is at a higher level than in some European countries.
Edited by SI
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