Turkey's EU minister says Turkey is not after Europe's financial resources

TALLINN (A.A) - November 11, 2011 - Turkey's European Union (EU) minister and chief negotiator said on Friday that Turkey was not after Europe's financial resources. Egemen Bagis said Turkey had constructed more highways, schools and airports than many countries that received financial assistance from the EU in the last nine years, when the Justice & Development (AK) Party ruled the country. "We have invested in agriculture more than those countries in nine years, and we have tripled our agricultural production. Turkey does not think that EU membership will provide more economic advantages to itself," Bagis told a conference at the Estonian Foreign Ministry in Tallinn. Bagis said Turkey's EU membership was a win-win process for both parties, and Turkey would wait for some more time for some narrow-minded circles in the EU to understand that fact. Moreover, Bagis said "Greek Cypriot administration's caprice" was the biggest reason of insolvability of Cyprus problem, and asked rest of EU members to warn the Greek Cypriot administration. Bagis also said the Greek Cypriot administration could not sabotage the ongoing Cyprus negotiation process by bullying. Turkey became an EU candidate country in December 1999. The union launched accession talks with Turkey on October 3, 2005. The EU has so far opened 13 of the 35 chapter headings to negotiations with Turkey.