"Turkey focussed on EU
'Turkey will continue keeping its eyes fixed on the West and Europe, even if the EU does not open accession talks next month,' Turkish Ambassador in Washington Logoglu says
ANKARA-Turkish Daily News
Turkey's Ambassador to the United States Faruk Logoglu said yesterday that Ankara expected the European Union at its summit on Dec.17 in Brussels to decide on starting accession talks with Turkey in the second half of next year, the Anatolia news agency reported.
Turkey will not change its course towards Western civilization, even if EU leaders did not make a decision paving the way for Turkey's eventual EU membership, said Logoglu, speaking at a meeting organized by the European-American Business Council.
"Even if a positive outcome does not emerge from the summit on Dec. 17, Turkey will not turn to Russia, the Islamic World or the Middle East," Anatolia quoted him as saying at a meeting entitled 'Turkey in the New Millennium.'
The European leaders' decision is expected to be in line with an EU Commission recommendation for the opening of Turkey's talks. The commission said last month that Turkey had fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria which are assumed as the only standards needed in order to open accession talks. ,
Logoglu said Turkey would definitely protect its current alliances without relying on the decision of the EU Council. He added there would be a process of questions if the EU rejected the opening of Turkey's talks and some circles may seek that Turkey turn towards another direction rather than its current objective of modernization.
"Nevertheless, Turkey will keep its eyes fixed on the West and Europe," Logoglu said. He added that Turkey would not give up its reform process.
Logoglu, speaking on American the C-SPAN television station, said the United States would also benefit from Turkey’s EU membership in relation to its strategic, security and political interests. He added international relations of the United States would be strengthened by Turkey's EU accession. "
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