ISTANBUL - "Turkey maintains the technical and legal (negotiation) process with the same determination, especially with an accelerating momentum during Germany`s rotating EU presidency," Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan, who also serves as the chief negotiator for the EU talks, said on Tuesday.
"We think that Turkey will make great contributions to the EU in regard to security, stability, long-term development perspective and competitive power, and we see this process as a win-win relationship," Babacan stated during a high-level conference on "Turkey and the EU: Together for a European Energy Policy" in Istanbul.
Noting that the EU will be different when Turkey is admitted, Babacan said, "the EU will be a union where differences co-exist and ideals and values are universal."
"Improvement of democracy in Turkey, steps regarding human rights and freedoms, and full implementation of rule of law will not only be beneficial to Turkish people but also bring Turkey closer to the EU," Babacan emphasized.
Babacan said that Turkey-EU relations went through difficult days, especially at the end of 2006 due to discussions on Cyprus problem, and noted that Cyprus was used as a pretext, and pace of Turkey`s negotiations was tried to be slowed down.
Babacan recalled the gathering that Turkey-EU relations on eight chapters cannot be formally opened unless Cyprus problem is resolved.
"Turkey will not solely be the 28th or 29th country that will join the EU, it is the sixth biggest economy of the EU in regard to purchasing power parity. And it is the second country behind Germany in regard to population. But it may become the number-one country (in the union) some time later," Babacan stressed.
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On the other hand, Babacan said that energy is one of the 33 negotiation chapters, and recalled that the European Council is actually discussing whether or not to invite Turkey to hold negotiations on this chapter.
"We hope that formal negotiations on this chapter will be opened soon directly and without any opening criteria," he stated.
"We closely monitor EU`s initiatives to create a new energy policy, and at the same time we are seeking ways to make use of it," Babacan noted.
Babacan pointed out that Turkey has key importance in supplying energy need of not only itself but also the EU, and ensuring energy security.
"Naval traffic at the straits (Istanbul & Canakkale straits) is troublesome. 10,153 tankers passed through the Istanbul Strait in 2006 and they carried 145 million tons of hazardous materials. Three or four percent of world oil production passes through Istanbul Strait. Therefore, we attach particular importance to Samsun-Ceyhan project, which we call as bypass project," Babacan added.