Britain supports Turkey’s EU membership

MacShane visited Izmir Governor Yusuf Ziya Goksu and Mayor Ahmet Pristina.

Stating that Turkey had important historical and touristic places, MacShane said that British tourists’ interest in Turkey increased recently. MacShane noted that 1 million tourists came from Britain to Turkey in 2003 and added that they would exert efforts to increase this figure to 2 million this year.

MacShane said that Britain was among countries which said clearly that Turkey should be a full member of the European Union (EU) and stated that Turkey’s accession to the Union would also contribute to increase in the number of tourists.

Stating that they still remembered attacks in Istanbul and they still felt sad over those attacks, MacShane said that British people’s interest in Turkey increased. MacShane added that they wanted to come to Turkey and learn more things about the country.

MacShane said that Turkey’s full membership to the Union would complete the country’s modernization which was launched by Ataturk, the founder of Turkish Republic.

Upon a question, MacShane said that Turkey took very important steps on human rights and noted that Turkish government adjusted laws to EU. MacShane added that now, the important thing was to put into practice those laws.