Ahtisaari was Finland's tenth president and also a Nobel Peace Prize laureate.
He made the remarks at a seminar titled “Together for Enhanced and More Stable Europe," which was organized in Ankara to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Turkish-Finnish Friendship Agreement.
"I have always believed in Turkey’s growth in Europe and in Asia. Turkey has a huge potential for the two continents," he said.
Turkey and Finland are not only friends, but also strategic partners with strong ties, the former president said.
He added that his old government was very supportive of Turkey’s accession to the EU.
Turkey's EU accession talks were launched in 2005.
- Turkey must comply with 35 chapters setting out reforms needed to become an EU member. So far, only 14 have been opened, while 17 remain blocked and a further four are yet to be discussed.
"The EU is an authentic, but postponed success story. Europe is now a borderless continent. This is an unimaginable success; it is the most important global project," Abdullah Gul, Turkey's former president said.
Gul said Turkey’s membership in the EU would be beneficial not only for Turkey, but also for the 28-member bloc.
"The EU is still struggling to be a strong foreign policy actor," he said, adding that the union should analyze its limits and get new members to become a global power.
If the EU becomes more introvert, it would lose its soft power compared to an outward looking and more heterogeneous union, he warned.
"We need an enhanced Europe more than ever," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.
Xenophobic and Islamophobic tendencies pose a serious threat to the EU's appeal based on its values, Cavusoglu added.
Finnish Foreign Minister Erkki Tuomioja for his part said that Turkey and Finland have historical ties and the two can act together for a more prosperous Europe.
"The EU’s neighborhood policy is not just keeping it European. The EU should stress the neighborhood policies better," Tuomioja said.
http://www.aa.com.tr/en/news/422706--turkey-belongs-to-europe-says-former-finnish-president
18/11/14
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Related:
- ****The Independent Commission on Turkey, headed by 2008 Nobel Peace Prize laureate and former Finnish President Martti Ahtisaari : Fresh start needed in Turkey’s EU access bid. -- It is important for the EU to treat Turkey fairly.(8/4/14)
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Finnish mediator Ahtisaari ‘turned down’ Kurds’ mediation offer ...
ReplyDeleteFinnish peace mediator Martti Ahtisaari has said the Kurds contacted him to play a mediation role in the Kurdish conflict years ago, but he did not respond at the time due to the Turkish government’s hesitance over foreign involvement in the process.
“Very often, governments do not want to have any outsiders involved, or they do not want to internationalize the issue,” Ahtisaari told the Hürriyet Daily News on Nov. 18.
The former Finnish president and international mediator won the 2008 Nobel Peace Prize for his conflict resolution work around the world, and was in Ankara for a symposium.
He said the imprisoned leader of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Abdullah Öcalan, suggested him as a member of the “council of wise men” back in 2010, referring to the group aiming to contribute to efforts to end the decades-long Kurdish problem.
Asked about the PKK’s recent demand for an international mediator, or “third party,” for the peace process, Ahtisaari recalled the Turkish government’s previous hesitance over outside involvement in efforts to resolve the Kurdish question.
“Over the years, there had been some contacts by Kurds with my organization, whether from Iraq or from Turkey, but it did not lead to any action from our side. We receive many requests, there isn’t any problem in the world that hasn’t touched us. But this [not taking action] does not mean that we don’t get involved. It’s very important to take a hard look and see if there is something that we can do. But very often governments do not want to have any outsiders involved or do not want to internationalize the issue,” he said.......................http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/finnish-mediator-ahtisaari-turned-down-kurds-mediation-offer.aspx?pageID=238&nID=74514&NewsCatID=338
19/11/14