Baku, Azerbaijan, Dec. 17
By Jamila Jafarova - Trend:
The idea of Turkey's membership in the EU has been unrealistic, Svante Cornell, the director and co-founder of the Stockholm-based Institute for Security and Development Policy, told Trend Dec. 17.
"The idea of the membership of Turkey in the EU has been unrealistic for a long time," Cornell noted, adding that therefore the statement of Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan that EU's criticism of Turkey has no significance for Ankara, is not surprising.
The expert added that Erdogan has made several statements before about Turkey's possible accession to the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) instead of the EU.
"Neither Turkey nor Europeans have made public the fact that this relationship is no longer what it used to be," Cornell further said. "There will be a continued technical relationship on specific issues or there can be deep economic relationship."
Today, Erdogan said Turkey will not beg the EU to be admitted to it.
"Let the EU not think that Turkey will be knocking on its doors till the end," the president added.
The official talks on Turkey's accession to the EU began in 2005
Earlier, the former prime minister and the current president, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said "the EU continues to mislead Turkey [on joining the EU], and this situation is upsetting."
The deputy prime minister, Bulent Arinc said earlier that Turkey's accession to the EU is no longer attractive for its citizens.
He added that earlier 75 percent of the population was supporting Turkey's accession to the EU, but now only 20 percent of citizens want it.
Turkey has fulfilled its commitments to the EU by 65 percent for its accession to this organization.
Edited by CN
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