Gul: EU should keep its promises

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkish President Abdullah Gul said on Friday that keeping its promises was one of the fundamental principles of the European Union (EU).



"The EU is well aware of Turkey's influence and strategic importance," Gul told a news conference in Brussels.



Gul underlined the importance of his visit for giving a new momentum to relations, raising Turkey's interest in the EU process again after Sunday's local elections, and speeding up the EU membership bid.



He said that the EU had opened entry talks with Turkey on ten chapters so far, and expressed the country's expectation to begin negotiations on new chapters.



Gul said that Turkey's road map is clear, and appreciated the European Commission's efforts to maintain the process with good will.



"Maintaining this process was good for everybody's best interests," he said, adding that Turkey is not in a hurry and aimed to complete negotiations with success.



Gul said the EU should always look into issues strategically. Turkey became an EU candidate country in December 1999 and the union launched accession talks with Turkey on October 3, 2005, Anatolian Agency reports.