Turkish foreign minister says visa exemption will increase Turkey's contributions to EU

ISTANBUL (A.A) - Turkey's foreign minister said on Friday that visa exemption would increase Turkey's contributions to the European Union (EU). Ahmet Davutoglu said visa exemption was Turkey's right, not a demand. "We believe visa exemption which will boost economic relations between Turkey and the EU in such an economic crisis atmosphere, will add a significant dynamism to Europe's economy," Davutoglu told the Eighth Turkish-Italian Forum in Istanbul. Davutoglu said Turkey expected Italy's support to a full visa exemption for Turkey.  The minister said Italy had always extended the biggest support to Turkey's EU membership bid, and when Turkey became a full member, it would add a competitive characteristic to the union and make the EU geographically, politically and culturally stronger .  The minister said Turkey and Italy were enjoying a golden era in bilateral relations, which also had reflections on economic relations. "Our trade volume has reached 13.4 billion Euro, and Italian capital in Turkey has approached 5 billion USD," Davutoglu said. Davutoglu said Turkey and Italy, two Mediterranean countries, were closely monitoring developments in the region, and Libya, Tunisia and Egypt were in a new restructuring process.  The minister said reforms continued in Morocco, and Algeria was also in a reform process and there were significant developments in Syria. "Turkey's policy is so clear in such a transformation process, and we are defending in Syria the same principles we supported in other regional countries," he said. Davutoglu said Turkey was supporting rightful and legitimate demands of Arab people, and attached vital importance to peaceful course of the transformation process.