Turkish FM Gul: We are Already a Privileged Partner

Gul was successful in getting Christian Democrat leader Angela Merkel, who has repeatedly urged a privileged partnership for Turkey instead of membership, to promise they would respect the decision on Turkey made at the EU summit on December 17th.

In response to a question on privileged partnership at the Berlin Federal Parliament, Gul said: "We are already a privileged partner as a member of the Customs Union (CU) for eight years. Ten new countries entering the EU will also enter the CU." In another meeting, he said: "Privileged partnership is not an alternative solution. Our goal is clear. In the event of a government change in Germany, Christian Democrat Party (CDU) leader Merkel says that they will respect the decision as well. I expressed in the negotiation that we will not accept a privileged partnership."

Merkel confirmed that the contact with Gul was quite friendly, saying, "We have not changed our opinion on privileged partnership and, within this framework, want to continue good relations with Turkey." However, Federal Parliament Foreign Affairs Commission Chair Volker Rühe, with whom Gul also met, rejected the "privileged partnership" concept urged by his party and said, "I believe that negotiations for EU membership will begin in the first six months of the following year." Independent Democrat Party Leader Guido Westerwelle said he expects a positive decision in December.

Gul’s visit was covered by the German press a great deal. The Turkish Foreign Minister discussed the process for Turkey’s EU membership with German Berliner Zeitung, Die Welt and Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung. Gul returned to Turkey last night to attend the Green Party’s meeting in Istanbul.