" Australia backs Turkey�s EU bid
Monday, February 07 2005 @ 08:16 AM Central Standard Time
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Turkey will be a very important member of the bloc when it joins, the Australian Foreign Minister said.
Australia has added its voice to those offering support for Turkey�s bid to become a full member of the European Union.
Speaking in the Australian capital Canberra after his return from meetings in Europe, Foreign Minister Alexander Downer said that Turkey's membership process had the full backing of the Australian government.
�The Australian government, whilst we can have no say in who joins the European Union or who doesn't, we throw our full weight behind Turkey's application,� Downer said. �And I think it will be a great thing not just for Turkey if it joins the European Union but a great thing for Europe to have Turkey as a principal, a very important member.
Saying that the question of Turkey's bid had come up in talks with a number of EU representatives during his meetings, Downer said that Ankara should know that its accession had widespread international support.
�The Turkish government needs to know that there are a lot of governments outside Europe that share this view as well,� he said. "
Turks.US - Australia backs Turkey�s EU bid
