Turkish President Says EU Bid Is A Strategic Goal For Turkey

KAYSERI - Turkish president described his country`s bid to join the European Union as "a strategic target," adding that Turkey continued to endeavour with all its institutions to that end.
"Our only requirement is that the EU should handle our membership process through objective criteria and honor its word when the time comes," Abdullah Gul said Wednesday, appearing at a meeting of Turkish-Austrian business forum in the central city of Kayseri together with Austrian President Heinz Fischer.
Gul also said Turkey expected Austrian support for its EU accession, "and when that happens Turkey will present different opportunities to its partners."
"I believe that we should not move on short-term political gains at a time when cultural and religious divisions and fundamentalism had become destructive and I believe that you would agree with me that Turkey will be an important asset with its encouraging role for reconciliation," Gul said.
(YMB-ULG)