Turkish FM eyes European democracy, Chinese growth

Davutoglu said, that Turkey had the capacity to establish a democracy at European standards and achieve a development process like China's.

Friday, 10 December 2010

The Turkish minister of foreign affairs said on Friday that Turkey had the capacity to establish a democracy at European standards and achieve a development process like China's.

Speaking at a meeting of the TUSIAD High Advisory Council in capital Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Turkey desired to become one of the top 10 economies in the world by the year 2023, the 100th anniversary of the foundation of the republic.

"We would like to turn Turkey into one of the central countries of global economy, a passage country for energy lines and a transportation centre for Afro-Eurasia," Davutoglu said.

Commenting on the foreign policy to be followed in order to reach those goals until 2023, Davutoglu said the target was "a democracy at European standards and a development process like China's", adding Turkey had the capacity to achieve them.

"Turkey will not drift apart from its goal of full membership to EU," the minister noted.

"No matter what they say, Turkey is a part of Europe and will continue to be so. It is not an object whose future could be discussed by EU-member states," he added.

Pointing to Turkey's position in its region, Davutoglu said Turkey was the biggest economic and commercial center in the region and it desired the free movement of people and goods on such territory.

"If democracy is the primary power of Turkish foreign policy, businessmen & entrepreneurs are the country's second strength," Davutoglu said, adding that obstacles in front of entrepreneurs should be eliminated.

The minister also said Turkey would continue to be interested in countries with which it had direct geographical and economic ties and noted that such relations would strengthen Turkey.

Source: World Bulletin.
Link: http://www.worldbulletin.net/news_detail.php?id=67238.