Turkey Does Not See EU Membership As An Absolute Necessity

PARIS (CIHAN) - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that Turkey wants EU membership, but it is not an absolute necessity.
Erdogan told reporters at Paris` International Conference Center that Turkey adopted the Copenhagen criteria to enhance the living standards of the Turkish people. "Turkey will adopt the Copenhagen political criteria and consider them as the Ankara political criteria. We will continue progressing on our own path even if the EU fails to open accession talks with Turkey."
Erdogan has been paying a three-day visit to France to promote Turkey`s EU membership drive.
EU leaders will decide in December whether to open entry talks with Ankara. France is seen as the only large EU state that still harbors reservations about admitting Turkey.
London, Berlin, Rome and Madrid support Turkey`s EU membership while Paris and Vienna are still skeptical.
The Turkish Prime Minister said that there is a false impression created among the European public that Turkey would become a EU member in December. "In fact, Turkey will just start accession talks in December 17 EU summit."
Erdogan said that Turkey would not accept a conditional opening of accession talks. He said that the Copenhagen criteria are the conditions for opening accession talks. "The EU should open accession talks with when Turkey fulfills the EU criteria."
Erdogan also said Turkey and the Turkish Cypriots have taken advanced steps to bring about a solution to the Cyprus conflict in line with the expectations of EU countries.
Turkish Cypriots voted heavily in favor of reunification (65% voted yes) on the April 24 referendum while Greek Cypriots, defying international community, overwhelmingly rejected (only 25% voted yes) the UN peace plan and entered EU as the only representative of the island.
Prime Minister Erdogan said that the accession of the Greek Cypriot side into the EU contravenes EU law.
When asked about acknowledging an Armenian genocide, Erdogan said that historians should deal with the issue. "As politicians, we should not scratch the wounds of the past but concentrate on building the future."
Erdogan said that Turkey is ready to open its border with Armenia, which has been closed for years over the Nagorna Karabag issue. He said the border could be opened if the Armenian Diaspora finishes its campaign for recognition of a genocide."
The French National Assembly, despite warnings from Turkey, adopted a draft bill in 2001 acknowledging an Armenian genocide.
Erdogan reiterated that Turkey is against the superiority or dominance of one ethnic group over another in Iraq. "The autonomy of one ethnic group in Iraq could spark civil war," Erdogan warned.
Erdogan also added that there is no crisis with Israel. "By acting wrongly Israel opened itself to criticism. Israel did the wrong thing during its raid into the Janin refugee camp where dozens of people were killed. We told Israel that they made a mistake."