BRUSSELS - Turkey's European Union (EU) membership would increase dynamism and capacity of EU's economy, Turkish State Minister Kursad Tuzmen said on Wednesday.
Tuzmen, who delivered a speech at a dinner hosted before the conference on Turkey-EU relations to be held in Belgian capital Brussels on Thursday, said that Turkey had recorded significant economic progress thanks to structural reforms.
Inflation rate had decreased and exports had increased thanks to structural reforms made by Turkey, Tuzmen said.
Tuzmen stated that Turkey had totally met Copenhagen criteria with reforms it had made and recorded significant progress in democracy in recent years.
Recalling that Turkey applied to the EU 40 years ago, Tuzmen said that a new period had started in Turkey-EU relations and stated that the EU should start full membership negotiations with Turkey.
Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, State Minister Tuzmen, Turkish and foreign academicians, politicians and researchers will attend the conference which is organized by Turkish non-governmental organizations including Turkish Exporters' Assembly (TIM), Union of Chambers and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey (TOBB), Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD), and think-tank named Europe's Friends.
The EU is expected to start full membership negotiations with Turkey at its summit to be held at the end of this year.
(BRC) 16.06.2004