Turkey will bring economic dynamism to EU

MILAN (AA) – Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Turkey, which had recorded an annual growth rate of 8 percent, would not bring any burden on the European Union (EU) budget but cause an economic dynamism in the whole EU geography with the economic momentum it would gain by full membership.

Erdogan spoke in the session on "Country Profile: Turkey" in Ambrosetti Forum held at Villa d’Este Hotel on the bank of Como lake in Italy.

"Turkey’s demography will not cause any problem as claimed. Turkey’s population, which is currently over 65 million, will reach 80-85 million in 20-25 years and will stay at this level. Therefore, Turkey’s population will not cause any problems as feared and it will always have a small numerical rate in the EU like 10 percent," Erdogan said.

Erdogan stated that Turkey would activate young and dynamic potential by structural changes to be made in the following ten years and thus, get closer to the EU.

And, Turkey would not cause any burden for the EU budget as believed, Erdogan noted.

Erdogan went on saying, "I want to draw your attention to an important point here. Turkey has achieved to continue the Customs Union in practice since January 1, 1996 without any EU financial assistance promised to be given. Even, Turkey has provided net foreign exchange transfer with the big foreign trade deficit that has occurred. It is not right to claim that Turkey, which has completed an advanced economic and commercial integration process with the EU countries like the Customs Union without being a burden to the EU, will be a burden for the union in case it becomes a full member."

"Customs Union has shown the power of our industry and our developed competitive power. Turkish economy has a very resistant and dynamic structure which can’t be noticed by people outside Turkey most of the time but which is observed by the economists who are dealing with Turkey," Erdogan said.

Erdogan pointed out that Turkish economy managed to recover in two years despite quake disasters and financial crisis and recorded a growth rate of almost 8 percent in 2002.

The EU should act by being conscious of the contributions that Turkey could make to the Union, Erdogan said.

Erdogan emphasized that strategic dimension that Turkey could bring to the EU, which was in the process of enlargement, was very important.

"In this context, if the EU is to become a world power, the advantages that Turkey, which is a center of energy, transportation and trade at the intersection points of East Mediterranean, Black Sea and Caspian Basin, can bring to the EU are obvious. Because, Turkey has the potential to affect EU’s security and political and economic stability and interests. In case peace and stability can’t be settled in the East Mediterranean, the EU will not have the right to speak on the security and stability of the main transportation and energy lines and this will weaken the assertion of Europe to become a global power," Erdogan said.

"On the other hand, the decision of EU on starting negotiations with Turkey will have important political, cultural and social reflections. I believe that EU will avoid new divisions which have the potential of being more dangerous than the past ideological division in European continents and with the common sense that the union will show by taking the decision of starting negotiations with Turkey will contribute to the reinforcement of tolerance among civilizations and spread of the values it defends to the other parts of the world," noted Erdogan.

Erdogan said that a Turkey, which united with EU, would have an important contribution to the peace, stability and security of European continent and in turning the union to a power that had global dimension by undertaking an indispensable role in preventing the possible political and cultural divisions.

Noting that the government would carry on its studies on EU issue by the strength it took from the support of the majority of Turkish people, Erdogan said, "we, as Turkey, are preparing for negotiations and working all together to reach a new structure. We observe that necessary will is shaping in EU as well and we are pleased of it. But, we have the consciousness that this process will not be easy. Our mutual benefit is so big that we believe that our EU friends will be beside us while we are walking on that path."