Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül issued a statement Monday marking Europe Day, 9 May, reaffirming Türkiye's determination to press ahead with reforms and meet its obligations under the EU accession process.
Gül traced Türkiye's EU candidacy to the 1999 Helsinki Summit and described the subsequent opening of accession negotiations as a historic milestone that confirmed full membership as the ultimate goal. He called on EU partners to conduct the talks in a constructive spirit consistent with terms offered to previous candidate countries.
Reflecting on European integration since Robert Schuman's landmark Paris speech of 9 May 1950, Gül argued that a mature Europe can no longer be defined by a single geography or culture, and that Türkiye's membership would strengthen the Union's standing as a model of "unity in diversity."
Gül also framed EU accession as consistent with the modernizing vision Atatürk outlined more than 80 years ago, saying Türkiye views membership as a civilizational project whose strategic, political, and economic interests align fully with those of the broader Union.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in May 2006, in its own words.