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Turkey's EU negotiator says Turkey aware of responsibilities

Türkiye Materials 6 July 2009 13:15 (UTC +04:00)

Turkish State Minister Egemen Bagis, who is also the chief negotiator for EU talks, said Turkey was aware of its responsibilities and liabilities regarding EU membership, The Journal of Turkish Weekly reported.

"Also, Turkey has the right to expect its interlocutors to fulfill their own responsibilities and liabilities," Bagis said.

Bagis' remarks came after the Greek "Imerisia" newspaper published remarks of Greek Foreign Minister Dora Bakoyianni.

In an interview with Imerisia, Bakoyianni said that her country had been supporting Turkey's EU membership from the outset, however Greece's thesis was clear.

Bakoyianni said there was not a common decision of Europe to open negotiations on "frozen" chapters if Turkey did not implement the Ankara Protocol.

The Greek foreign minister said besides those eight chapters, there were some other issues on the table and Turkey should fulfil its obligations. Bakoyianni also said that Turkey should understand that it should cooperate against illegal migration.

Bagis said, "international agreements were not obligations imposed by who speaks the loudest."

"Our interlocutors who are steering negative manoeuvres against us within the EU might be in a more advantageous ground, but they are not on a rightful ground. First of all, you should be right," he said.

Bagis said an agreement should be implemented under equal and fair conditions and under the principle of reciprocity.

"Turkey will stay out of this propaganda," he said.

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