ANTALYA - Motherland Party (ANAP) leader, State Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz said on Sunday that nobody should doubt that Turkey would join the European Union (EU) as a Muslim Turkish nation.
Addressing people in southern province of Antalya, Yilmaz said, ''you will decide on Turkey's new route on November 3. More importantly, you will decide on result of efforts for EU membership that have been continuing for forty years. With your decision, you will shape up future of your children and even your grandchildren.''
''I prefer Turkey's EU membership ten times to my prime minister post,'' he said.
Noting that he knew how important the elections on November 3 was, Yilmaz said, ''but I also know that EU membership is much more important than elections for Turkey.''
''We have a two-month period in front of us for the Copenhagen summit. We have to use this period well. However, works are disrupted due to upcoming elections. So I proposed postponement of elections for a few months although I knew that they would exploit my words. Turkey would not have suffered any damage if elections had been postponed,'' he said.
''Turkey is going to hold general elections while a war is likely to start right next to it. But Turkey should not remain silent to these developments. Because, Turkish people have started to estimate the damage and negative effects of this war,'' Yilmaz noted.
''Turkey has come to a fork in the road. Will Turkey be a powerful and rich European country or will it be dragged into the Middle Eastern chaos? ANAP is exerting itself to save Turkey from the Middle Eastern chaos and bring it to EU membership. I prefer Turkey's EU membership ten times to my prime minister post,'' he said.