BERLIN - Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan who is currently in Berlin, said on Tuesday that it was important to inform German public opinion correctly about Turkey's membership to the European Union (EU).
Erdogan attended the opening reception of Berlin office of Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) at Adlon Hotel.
Releasing a speech, Erdogan said that it was important to inform German public opinion correctly regarding 2004 target which Turkey's membership negotiations with EU was foreseen to start. It is important to form an effective public opinion in Germany with this aim, he said.
Noting that Germany was leading commercial partner of Turkey, Erdogan said, ''it is a positive development that the trade volume, which decreased to 10 billion 700 million U.S. dollars in 2001, increased to 13 billion U.S. dollars in 2002 by rising to its former level. Turkey makes 16,6 percent of its general export and 13,7 percent of its general import with Germany. Thus, there is a big potential between Turkey and Germany which should be evaluated.''
Noting that reciprocal investments constituted one of the most important dimensions between two countries, Erdogan said, ''the number of German firms which are active in our country increased to 1061 as of the end of 2002. Germany ranked the second with 311 million dollars in regard to the permitted foreign capital among countries in 2002. This corresponds to 13,87 percent of total foreign capital which is permitted in 2002.''
Erdogan said, ''another element which brings people closer to each other is tourism. Germany is traditionally the country which sends most tourists to Turkey. The number of tourists who visited Turkey from Germany is continuously increasing in recent years. The number of German tourists who visited our country in 2002 increased more than 20 percent when compared with 2001 and reached 3,5 million.''
Erdogan noted that Turkey and Germany exerted joint efforts in many international institutions for 50 years and said, ''the developments we have experienced after September 11 showed that our cooperation is not only a contribution to international peace, but also a necessity that is appropriate to our national interests.''
Noting that Turkey and Germany shared joint views and opinions for protection of international peace and stability, Erdogan said that for this reason, it was necessary to avoid every type of attitude that would justify ''clash of civilizations thesis''.
Erdogan emphasized that Germany was the pioneer of unification of Europe, adding that he was sure that steps which were taken for fulfillment of legal changes on Turkey's EU membership would speed up starting process of membership negotiations.
OZILHAN: ''TUSIAD HAS BECOME THE LEADING DEFENDER OF EU MEMBERSHIP IN TURKEY IN THE LAST 10 YEARS''
Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) Chairman Tuncay Ozilhan said on Tuesday that TUSIAD had become the leading defender of the European Union (EU) membership in Turkey in the last decade.
Releasing a speech in the opening reception of Berlin office of TUSIAD, Ozilhan said, ''TUSIAD has become the leading defender of EU membership in Turkey in the last 10 years. Our activities and statements for this aim were influential. We were condemned due to our suggestions in our publications, ideas we have open to discussion, values we have defended, and demands we have expressed. We continued on our true path.''
Emphasizing the economic and political importance of Berlin, Ozilhan said that TUSIAD wanted to open an office in Berlin as Turkey was a country which would contribute to the definition and shaping of 21st century.
Noting that they would make necessary warnings for the fulfillment of reforms, Ozilhan said that they believed that some issues should be discussed more openly. He added that most of Turkish people supported EU membership and adopted EU values deeply and believed that long-term interests were in the path to EU.
Ozilhan said that they wanted to believe that new artificial obstacles would not be put in front of Turkey after the fulfillment of Copenhagen criteria. He added that Turkey was a part of Europe historically and important places of European cultural heritage were on Turkish lands.
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Tourism and Culture Minister Erkan Mumcu, German Interior Minister Otto Schily, deputies, politicians, Turkish and German businessmen attended the reception.
(GC-AÖ) 03.09.2003