BRUSSELS - Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Thursday that Turkey is sometimes seen as the problem for cooperation between NATO and the EU and added that "we do not accept that."
Babacan, who attended the meeting of NATO foreign ministers in Brussels, told a press conference that everyone knows very well where the problem grows out of.
"But I believe that we need a little bit more time for a solution," Babacan said.
He said Turkey, as a NATO country that contributes to European Security and Defense Policy, is in favor of NATO-EU cooperation.
"But there is a framework on which a consensus was reached. We have been saying that cooperation should be carried out on that framework. Sometimes, Turkey is seen as the problem for NATO-EU cooperation. We do not accept that," he stated.
"Many countries supporting Turkey`s membership to EU say that they support it for Turkey`s contribution to security of the union. Just one or two countries have veto on this. So, in such a picture, what we expect from NATO is to show more solidarity with Turkey," Babacan told reporters.
Stating that he had bilateral talks with foreign ministers of the United States, Britain, France, Belgium and Estonia, Babacan said his meeting with U.S. Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice focused on developments in the Middle East and Turkey`s military operation into north of Iraq that was brought up by him at the meeting.
"I made an overall evaluation. I told her that our target was clear as we mentioned earlier, and that the operation was completed successfully, carried out limited in scope with limited number of troops," Babacan said.
Asked about Turkey`s stance on the Mediterranean Union suggested by France, Babacan said, "we have to approach to that matter very cautiously. Low-level talks have been carried out on the issue. French bureaucracy says the matter is not related to Turkey`s EU accession, but it is something totally different. However, there are statements made by French President Nicolas Sarkozy placed on record. That`s why it does not mean a lot for us to hear (that the Mediterranean Union has no relation with Turkey`s accesion to EU) from French bureaucrats. We expect high level statements from France. We need guarantee so that things will not turn into something different afterwards,"
Babacan also reaffirmed that article 301 of Turkish Penal Code will be amended as soon as possible.
(TÇ-AY)