"Turkey Season in France" to start in July 1

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey and France will launch a series of cultural events and programs to celebrate "Turkey Season in France" and introduce Turkish culture to French people.

The season will start on July 1 and continue until March of next year. Turkey recently announced the expansion of activities to include over 40 cities with 400 programs, Today's Zaman reported.



President Abdullah Gül, who was harsh in criticizing Europe before, seems to have toned down his rhetoric and signaled a willingness to undertake initiatives for a possible rapprochement between the two countries.



Politicians come and go, he said, stressing the importance of political goals set by the countries. Speaking at a reception held at Çankaya presidential palace, Gül said, "The important thing is to continue preparing the country for full EU membership."



"People who voiced opposition to Turkey today might change their position later," he said, dismissing anti-Turkish statements voiced by politicians. "What matters," he said, "is the opinion of the Turkish and European public."



Both Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel recommend that Turkey be offered a privileged partnership instead of full EU membership, which Ankara strongly rejects.