Extending his thanks to Slovenia for the support it lends to Turkey’s EU membership, President Gül declared that Turkey would not be a burden to the EU, on the contrary, it would enrich the club.
President Abdullah Gül is in Slovenia upon the official invitation of President Danilo Turk of Slovenia.
President Turk welcomed President Gül with an official ceremony at Brdo Castle. After the ceremony, the two Presidents had a tete-a-tete for a while, a part of which the First Ladies also attended.
They later chaired the talks between their delegations and held a joint press conference.
INCREASE IN TRADE VOLUME DESPITE THE CRISIS
Referring to the bilateral relations between Turkey and Slovenia as excellent during his speech, the President noted that there was a mutual understanding between the two in the political issues, emphasizing the increase in the trade volume despite the economic crisis. Informing the press that they would meet with businessmen at the Turkey-Slovenia Business Forum during which they would urge them to establish partnerships to invest in third-party countries as well as conduct mutually beneficial businesses in both countries.
“TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP WILL MAKE THE EU CAKE BIGGER”
Briefing his audience that they had discussed their bilateral and multilateral relations, the EU, the Balkans and the Middle East during the talks, President Gül expressed his happiness at observing that they had the same views towards these issues. The EU membership, the President underscored, is Turkey’s strategic decision and stated that it displays extraordinary power towards full membership, exclaiming: “I wholeheartedly believe that Turkey’s membership will make the EU cake bigger!” Turkey with its numerous treasures is Europe’s 6th biggest economy, said the President, maintaining that Turkey’s GNP by purchasing power parity is almost 1 trillion dollars, declared the President, adding that Turkey would not be a burden for the EU at all, on the contrary he said it would enrich the club.
TURKEY’S EU MEMBERSHIP AND CYPRUS
Stating that he had shared his views about the Cyprus issue with his Slovenian counterpart, President Gül reiterated that in Cyprus, the negotiation process is continuing now, which he said Turkey strongly supported and hoped that by the end of 2010, a resolution would be achieved, which would be presented to the public for a vote. This issue, the President continued, sometimes hindered many of the EU’s strategic matters, adding that the EU should play a role in much bigger and more strategic ones.
Further drawing attention to the importance of the stability in the Balkans, President Gül noted that the more stability and security there was in the Balkans, the more economic cooperation, prosperity and happiness would be enjoyed there.
TURK: TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP WILL BE AN ADVANTAGE FOR THE EU
President Turk of Slovenia revealed his pleasure to welcome President Gül to his country and stressed that the Turkish-Slovenian relationship had developed at all levels.
As for Turkey’s EU membership process, President Turk noted as follows: “Slovenia stands by Turkey on her path to EU membership. Turkey’s membership to the EU will be an advantage for the EU!” Mentioning the objections to Turkey’s EU membership as narrow-minded and useless, he also suggested that the chapters in the process towards Turkey’s membership be opened and the technical issues be taken into consideration and that this not be politisized.
“The EU should determine its priorities in its foreign policy!” suggests President Turk
On the Cyprus issue, President Turk of Slovenia noted that he supported the efforts towards the resolution of the issue, which he stated was very important to the EU as well. Turkey’s EU membership, he continued, could carry the club in accordance with a global vision and maintained that Slovenia was acting with Turkey in this process, suggesting: “The EU should determine its priorities in its foreign policy.”
GÜL’S OTHER PROGRAMS
President Gül, after the joint press conference, visited the Slovenian Parliament, where he met with the Speaker of Parliament, Dr. Pavel Gantar and he later received the Slovenian PM, Borut Pahor at the hotel where he is staying.
As part of his program, President Gül also visited the Ljubljana Municipality, in front of which he was welcomed with the anthem of the municipality and he later signed their guest book.
LJUBLJANA
The city of Ljubljana with its population of 280,000 people today has been a natural bridge between the Central Europe and the Mediterranean. It was the capital city of Slovenia during the Socialist Federal Republic of Yugoslavia, founded at the end of the Second World War and has been the capital of the Republic of Slovenia since she declared her independence in 1991 after a referendum.
LJUBLJANA CITY HALL
Constructed in 1484, the City Hall of Ljubljana was renovated in 1718. In front of the building is a square with a pool that symbolizes the Sava, Krka and Ljubljana Rivers. The walls inside the building are adorned with frescoes and paintings depicting the history of Slovenia among which there are portrayals showing the effects of the Ottomans upon today’s Slovenian geography.
