Erdogan urges EU to change perspective on Turkey’s bid

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that there was no other country than Turkey that waited at the door of the European Union (EU) for half a century.

Erdogan said he had asked his European friends why Turkey had been kept waiting at EU's door for 50 years but he had not received any answer.

"Which of the EU acquis has Turkey failed to fulfil? Have all the EU member states fulfilled the requirements of EU acquis as much as Turkey," Erdogan said during the gala dinner of the Global Economic Symposium in Istanbul.

Erdogan said if countries were not in solidarity, they could not ensure a world where peace prevailed, World Bulletin reported.

"If we are to establish the Alliance of Civilizations and stand against clash of civilizations, which is what we have to do, then we cannot look at the EU as a Christian club," he said.

Erdogan said in such a case, the EU should be considered a political and social union, and EU's perspective on Turkey had to change.