IZMIR - Turkey is an important country, and its membership will be an asset for the EU, said Finnish Parliament Speaker Paavo Lipponen.
Some parliamentarians, who are the members of the High-Level Group on Turkey of the Party of European Socialists (PES) are actually in Aegean city of Izmir.
At the Adnan Menderes Airport, Lipponen stated that they will meet Turkish Parliament Speaker Bulent Arinc, PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan and FM Abdullah Gul in Ankara.
Lipponen noted that his country will continue to do everything in its power to help Turkey`s EU membership bid. "We are working a lot to eliminate problems," he said.
-GENOCIDE ALLEGATIONS-
On so-called Armenian genocide allegations, Lipponen said that this cannot be a criterium. Recalling that Turkey offered to set up a commission to investigate the claims, Lipponen said that this matter should be discussed.
Commenting on Cyprus problem, Lipponen said, "Finland is working on this problem. Parties have to be successful. If not, Turkey, EU and Turkish and Greek Cypriots will lose. Everybody has to work hard. Cyprus is not only a problem of the EU but also it is a problem concerning the UN. Finnish parliamentarians will visit Cyprus next week."