ISTANBUL - Turkey is resolute to become a member of the European Union (EU), Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday.
"Turkey`s EU membership bid is in fact the biggest global peace project of the 21st century," he emphasized in his speech at the (IPI) Conference, in Istanbul.
Erdogan said, "there will be ups and downs in our road to the EU. And we know that this path will be challenging, and there may be obstacles. But we are resolved to overcome all these problems. What is important is that Turkey must see the same decisiveness from European countries. Turkey has to take its place in the EU if an alliance among civilizations is to be established."
It is not possible to think of an EU which does not include Turkey," PM Erdogan stated.
"Such a European Union will give an impression that it lacks a strategic vision, it cannot see where the world is oriented, and it is not eager to become a global actor," he commented.
-DEMOCRACY-
On the other hand, Erdogan said that Turkish people are demonstrating, on every occasion, their willingness to enjoy fully democracy and freedoms, without concession.
"Turkish Republic is a democratic, secular and social state of law, and it will remain so. Nobody can make concessions on these precepts, and this is the common message of all demonstrations (recently held). Even though some (circles) are not eager to consent, we are against making politics over religion, and we are also against making politics over secularism. We have always seen secularism as a guarantee for our life styles," Erdogan added.