STRASBOURG - An EU official said on Tuesday that the "Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean" project was not against Turkey's full membership to the union.
Benita Ferrero-Waldner, European Commissioner for External Relations and European Neighbourhood Policy, held a press conference on the project at the European Parliament on Tuesday.
Upon a question on France's opposition against Turkey's EU accession, Ferrero-Waldner said that the project was not against Turkey's membership, adding that the French Minister Jean-Pierre Jouyet assured Turkish officials on the issue during his recent visit to capital Ankara.
Ferrero-Waldner also said that EU hoped Turkey would attend the upcoming summit to be held in Paris on July 13th, where the project would be submitted for the approval of European leaders.
"Union for the Mediterranean" is a project initiated by French President Nicolas Sarkozy and aimed at upgrading the EU's relations with its neighbours from North Africa and the Middle East.
The European Council recently approved the principle of a "Union for the Mediterranean" which will include the Member States of the EU and the non-EU Mediterranean coastal states.
It invited the Commission to present to the Council the necessary proposals for defining the modalities of what will be called "Barcelona Process: Union for the Mediterranean" with a view to the Summit which will take place in Paris on July 13th 2008.
(DO-AÖ)