BRUSSELS - Turkish National Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul said on Monday that Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU) was of great importance for security interests of the EU.
Gonul attended a conference organized by nongovernmental organization, New Defense Agenda, with NATO Secretary General Jaap de Hoop Scheffer in Brussels and delivered a speech on ''Security in Europe from Turkey's Point of View and Turkey's Contributions to European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP)''.
Stressing that security was a ''whole'' and ''sharing a common fate'', Gonul said that risks and interests were also common.
Underlining threats and risks which have emerged after the Cold War, Gonul gave terrorist attacks in Madrid as an example to this issue.
Gonul said that ''indivisibility of security'' continued to be the key thought and noted that adjustment, coordination and dialogue were very important. He said that NATO was the cornerstone of Europe-Atlantic cooperation and added that ESDP that was formed by EU was an important component.
Gonul said that strategic partnership between NATO and EU would play a key role in improvement of ESDP and stated that NATO and EU should act together within the scope of common goals, values and cooperation.
Stating that transatlantic ties and dialogue should be further improved, he said that more cooperation should be made in fight against terrorism.
Gonul said that cooperation should be improved in Balkans, Mediterranean and Middle East issues and stated that all allies should undertake role in ESDP.
Gonul noted that NATO summit which would be held in Istanbul in June would be an opportunity to underline indivisibility of security and unity of goal between the Alliance and EU.
Stating that ''open door policy'' of NATO summit should be stressed again and positive messages should be given to countries which wanted to join the Alliance in the NATO summit, he recalled Turkey's great contributions to European security against Soviet threat for 50 years.
Gonul will attend the meeting of defense ministers of EU today and return to Turkey on Tuesday.
(EÖ-AÖ) 17.05.2004