ANKARA - An NGO executive said on Thursday that Turkey decided to conclude EU acquis adjustment process by the end of 2013, adding "EU should be ready for Turkey`s full membership."
Turkish Union of Chambers & Commodity Exchanges (TOBB) Chairman Rifat Hisarciklioglu addressed the opening of the 14th Turkish-German Cooperation Council meeting here.
Hisarciklioglu said Germany was the most important trade partner of Turkey, noting that bilateral trade volume exceeded 21 billion euro in 2007.
Referring to German companies acting in Turkey, he said, "there are over 3,000 German companies active in Turkey. Also there are around 3 million Turks living in Germany. Annual turnover of 70,000 Turkish entrepreneurs (in Germany) is more than 30 billion euro ."
Hisarciklioglu said all the EU member countries should be aware of the strength that Turkey would add to Europe with its powerful economy, as well as its strategic position.
"Turkey expects support from Europe, particularly from Germany, to maintain its reform process and to preserve its EU vision," he added.
Hisarciklioglu said Turkish business community attached great importance to EU acquisition process. "This process should not be overshadowed by daily political quarrels" he added.
Reinhard Silberberg, State Secretary of Germany`s Federal Foreign Office, said they are monitoring the steps made by Turkey on its way to EU and economic areas, and noted that Germany hope that changes, planned to be made to Turkish Constitution, would be made through compromise.
Commenting on closure case against Justice & Development (AK) Party, Reinhard Silberberg said Europe expressed concern over that case and said: "such a ban can be imposed only when violence is in question."
(AY-ULG)