Alpogan: Turkey - United States Relations Cannot Be Destroyed In A Day

ANKARA (AA) - German Marshall Fund has opened a bureau in Ankara to support Turkey's participation in the European-Atlantic community more actively.
     Turkish National Security Council (NSC) Secretary General Yigit Alpogan attended the opening of the bureau on Tuesday.
     ''The EU is the most important organization in the European continent, and the Marshal Fund has made valuable contributions to the EU. Despite some differences of opinion between the United States and the EU, they share the common values such as human rights, freedom and global peace,'' he said.
     Alpogan noted, ''Turkey does not consider the United States and the EU alternatives to each other. Relations will the United States will always be among priorities of the Turkish foreign policy. Those relations cannot be destroyed in a day. Turkey and the United States have some common interests such as fight against terrorism, reform process in the Middle East, rebuilding of Iraq, and Turkey's full membership to the EU.''
     Recalling that a delegation of U.S. congressmen had paid a visit to the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC) recently, Alpogan said that an important step was taken with the visit to remove isolation of Turkish Cypriot people.
     (UK)
2005-05-31