Türkiye Aims for Full EU Membership as Strategic Goal: Erdogan
Ankara, The Gulf Observer: Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has reiterated Türkiye’s steadfast commitment to becoming a member of the European Union, emphasizing it as the nation’s “strategic goal.”
“Full membership in the European Union is our strategic goal. It is in our common interest for the EU to approach Türkiye from a similar perspective,” President Erdogan stated on Thursday during a joint news conference with Estonian President Alar Karis in Ankara.
Türkiye initially applied for EU membership in 1987 and has been a candidate country since 1999. While membership negotiations commenced in 2005, they reached an impasse in 2007 due to the Cyprus issue and opposition from several member states.
Addressing global and regional issues, President Erdogan highlighted the severe impact of the ongoing conflict in Gaza, noting that since October 7, 2023, Israel has killed more than 37,000 Palestinians. He stressed that these massacres threaten not only regional stability but also global security. Erdogan called for a two-state solution as the only path to permanent peace and urged the international community to take decisive action.
Regarding the Ukraine conflict, which began in February 2022, Erdogan emphasized that a fair resolution can be achieved through diplomacy, but initiatives excluding Russia will be ineffective.
During his discussions with President Karis, Erdogan affirmed their commitment to enhancing Türkiye-Estonia relations. The leaders discussed various joint initiatives to further collaboration between the two nations. Highlighting economic prospects, Erdogan noted that the trade volume between Türkiye and Estonia reached $429 million in 2023, and expressed optimism about increasing this figure alongside mutual investments.
Erdogan announced that the first meeting of the Joint Economic and Trade Committee, established last year, will soon be held in Türkiye to outline a new roadmap for economic and commercial relations. As NATO allies, he stressed the importance of enhancing cooperation in the defence industry.
“We consider the diversification of our relations, from science and technology to education, culture, and tourism, as significant investments,” Erdogan said. He also underscored Estonia’s global importance in digital transformation, digital applications, and cyber defence, emphasizing the value of sharing expertise in these areas.
“I sincerely believe that our close bilateral relations and our solidarity within NATO will continue to strengthen on solid foundations,” the Turkish president concluded.
