Germany offers Turkey "alternatives" instead of full EU membership
Germany's chancellor said she will offer Turkey "alternatives" instead of full European Union membership during a visit to Turkey later this month.
"I am of the opinion that we should rather aim for a privileged partnership, in other words a very close affiliation of Turkey to the European Union," Angela Merkel said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio on Sunday.
Privileged partnership, which falls short of full membership, is the term coined by Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), for their model of the future relations between Turkey and the EU.
Merkel's two-day visit to Turkey will begin March 29. Besides talks on Turkey's EU membership bid, her trip will focus on Istanbul as the 2010 European Capital of Culture and the integration of German citizens of Turkish heritage. "My visit is intended to foster the good relationship we have with Turkey. We have a lot of Turkish fellow citizens here in Germany," Merkel said.
"On one hand, we want their integration, and on the other hand, we want intensive economic and cultural ties with Turkey. We are especially connected because Istanbul is currently the 2010 European Capital of Culture, as is Essen. This connection should be in the foreground of my visit," she said.
"I am of the opinion that we should rather aim for a privileged partnership, in other words a very close affiliation of Turkey to the European Union," Angela Merkel said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio on Sunday.
Privileged partnership, which falls short of full membership, is the term coined by Merkel's conservative Christian Democratic Union (CDU), for their model of the future relations between Turkey and the EU.
Merkel's two-day visit to Turkey will begin March 29. Besides talks on Turkey's EU membership bid, her trip will focus on Istanbul as the 2010 European Capital of Culture and the integration of German citizens of Turkish heritage. "My visit is intended to foster the good relationship we have with Turkey. We have a lot of Turkish fellow citizens here in Germany," Merkel said.
"On one hand, we want their integration, and on the other hand, we want intensive economic and cultural ties with Turkey. We are especially connected because Istanbul is currently the 2010 European Capital of Culture, as is Essen. This connection should be in the foreground of my visit," she said.
