Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan announced in a nationally televised address that formal accession negotiations between Türkiye and the European Union had commenced following a summit in Luxembourg on 12 June 2006. He acknowledged the road ahead would be long and demanding, stating that national interests would shape Türkiye's approach throughout the process.
Erdoğan credited his government's three-and-a-half years in office with transforming Türkiye into the world's 17th largest economy, calling it an emerging economic giant with growing strategic importance beyond its immediate region. He said his administration had actively pursued global peace efforts and expanded trade and diplomatic ties with numerous countries.
On regional economic cooperation, Erdoğan noted that a Turkish-Arab Economic Forum had convened in Istanbul on 8 June, where participants explored a broad range of partnership opportunities. He also highlighted an energy conference held in Istanbul on 20 June, describing it as a critical step toward shaping a forward-looking energy strategy. Energy, he said, would be among the most vital needs of the coming decades, and Türkiye was actively developing projects in that field.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in June 2006, in its own words.