PARIS - "I hope Nicolas Sarkozy, (who took office as the new president of France) will assume a more realistic attitude on Turkey," Turkish Finance Minister Kemal Unakitan said on Wednesday.
Unakitan held a news conference after Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) annual Ministerial Council Meeting that took place in France today.
Asked to comment on Sarkozy`s remarks opposing Turkey`s EU membership, Unakitan said decisions are made altogether in the EU, recalling that Sarkozy can not hinder the negotiations alone.
Unakitan said the EU member countries can not disregard the texts they have signed and their commitments.
-OECD MEETING-
Unakitan said enlargement of the OECD, innovation, globalisation, and growth and equity were the main agenda topics of the 2-day OECD meeting.
Unakitan said a decision has been made to launch full membership talks with Russia, Chile, Slovenia, Israel and Estonia and also a decision was made to make close cooperation with China, South Africa, India and Indonesia that are expected to become members in the future.
-WORLD TRADE ORGANIZATION-
Unakitan said negotiations with the World Trade Organization (WTO) were later handled at an informal meeting, indicating that Turkey has expressed its expectations at the meeting.
Turkish Finance Minister stated that Turkey defended gradual decrease of customs taxes in agriculture, and noted that Turkish government was resolved to protect agriculture sector in Turkey when its share in employment and economy are taken into consideration.