Romania will support entry talks with Turkey

Former Soviet state Romania is slated, together with Bulgaria, to join the EU in 2007. Turkey has been a candidate to join since 1999 but accession talks between Brussels and Ankara are yet to start. EU leaders will decide in a December summit whether or not Turkey is fit to start the long-delayed talks.

Vacaroiu, speaking at a joint press conference with Arinc, thanked Turkey for its support to his country’s efforts to become a member of NATO. "And now we are ready to fully support Turkey’s accession into the EU," he said. Romania is set to wrap up its accession talks in November.

The senate president also praised the level of cooperation between Turkey and Romania. "If warm relations between Turkey and Romania had been established at a global level, there would have been no reason for clashes and instability," he said. He added that Turkey and Romania should boost cooperation so that regional organizations like the Black Sea Economic Cooperation Organization, of which both countries are members, could work more effectively.

Vacaroiu is expected to visit Istanbul and central Anatolian provinces of Kayseri and Nevsehir after wrapping up talks in Ankara before departing on Wednesday.