ISTANBUL - Turkey's Foreign Minister said on Friday that the reforms carried out by Turkey were useful for the country's neighbors as well.
Delivering a speech at the gala dinner of the "5th Bosphorus Conference" on Turkey-EU relations, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said, "our neighbors from the Balkans and the Middle East see Turkey as a story of success".
Babacan said that Turkey had a certain agenda and it would carry on with its reform process.
"Turkey's EU adhesion process has certain difficulties not only for the country itself, but also for the Union. I see that EU's stance towards the enlargement process changes seasonally. Sometimes the Union's desire for enlargement increases, but from time to time concerns are also expressed on this issue," he said.
Babacan also said that EU would become stronger with Turkey's membership.
Speaking at the dinner, Dutch Foreign Minister Maxime Verhagen said that the Netherlands supported Turkey's fight against terrorism.
Commenting on Turkey's EU membership process, Verhagen said the Union would accept Turkey when the country fulfilled all the necessary criteria.
Verhagen also said culture and religion should not be discussed in Turkey's membership process, stating that the discussion should focus on whether Turkey was ready for EU or not.
Delivering a speech, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn said that he desired to see Turkey move rapidly in its reform process.
Turkey lost a valuable piece of time while dealing with another political crisis this year, Rehn also said.
(DO-EÖ)
(DIP)