EU not determined enough on Turkey's membership, says EU Minister Bagis

ISTANBUL (A.A) - Turkish Minister for European Union (EU) Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said Thursday that the EU was not determined enough on Turkey's membership as much as Turkey was determined on the process. Speaking at the 68th Meeting of Turkey-EU Joint Parliament Commission in Istanbul, Bagis said that he found it highly meaningful for the Joint Parliament Commission to hold its meeting in Istanbul, a city that represents a common past of European cultures. In a Europe where Turkey's EU membership was always debated and propaganda made over Turkey's membership process, everyone must take important messages from Istanbul and read correctly the messages sent from Istanbul, Bagis said. Istanbul alone is sufficient to show how Turkey is crucial for the EU and how Turkey can add richness to the values of the union. Istanbul is a summary of Turkey as well as a summary of different civilizations and cultures, Bagis stressed. The EU we expect to be consistent when it comes to democracy and freedoms has entered a phase far away from just approaches, Bagis also said.