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EU Needs Turkey, Arinc Says

12 July 2010 23:40 (UTC +04:00)

Baku â€“ APA. Turkish State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Bulent Arinc said Saturday the European Union (EU) needed Turkey, APA reports quoting turkishny.com web-page.
Speaking at a live broadcast on a private Turkish TV channel, Kanal 24, on Saturday, Arinc said that he believed the EU needed Turkey more than Turkey needed the EU.
Certain EU countries "fear" that, once Turkey joins the EU as a full member, the EU’s borders would be carried to Iran and Iraq. Yet there are also countries that think that Turkey could be a bridge between Europe and the Middle East and Central Asia. Turkey has 10 advantages that may lead to some circles calling on Turkey in the future to come and join the EU. However, when Turkey reaches that point, it is questionable if it may actually want to join the EU or not, Arinc said.
Touching on the fight against terror, Arinc said that Turkey had been fighting against terror acts for the past 30 years.
The fight against terror can not be merely conducted by military means. I do not think that we can get rid of the terrorist organization PKK by armed operations and military pressure alone. We need to utilize diplomacy internationally to defeat the terrorist organization and also take economic measures to eradicate the causes of terror, Arinc said.
In reference to the Heybeliada Seminary in north-western province of Istanbul, Arinc said that he wished the Seminary was opened so as to train new clergy men.
We are not the government of only Muslims in this country. As a secular government, we are obliged to fulfill the religious needs of other groups as well, Arinc added.