Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan attended a foreign policy awards ceremony hosted by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) at the Sheraton Hotel in Ankara, where European Commission Vice President Guenter Verheugen received TUSIAD's fourth Foreign Policy Award.
Erdogan praised Verheugen's contributions to Türkiye-EU relations, noting that the former enlargement commissioner oversaw Türkiye's acquisition of candidate status and the opening of accession negotiations between 1999 and 2004.
Speaking at the event, Erdogan described TUSIAD as one of Türkiye's most influential civil society organizations and credited it with helping foster democratic culture and supporting the EU accession process.
Erdogan also addressed tensions with Brussels, stating that the EU General Affairs and External Relations Council's decision of 11 December was inconsistent with the depth of the bilateral relationship. He warned that certain EU member governments were sending negative signals to Türkiye, arguing that Türkiye's membership would ultimately benefit the Union.
The prime minister reaffirmed Türkiye's commitment to continuing domestic reforms aimed at raising living standards and advancing EU membership, then personally presented the award to Verheugen.
Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this wire report, first published in January 2007, in its own words.