Europe’s fate won’t be written without Turkey: FM Davutoğlu

ANKARA – Anatolia News Agency

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu attends a foreign ministers meeting in Cairo February 4, 2013. REUTERS/Mohamed Abd El Ghany

Europe’s fate has not been written without Turkey up to today, and it will not be written without Turkey in the future, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu said Feb. 26 in Ankara, emphasizing Ankara’s importance to the European Union.

Referring to British support for Turkey’s EU membership, Davutoğlu said the situation in France and Germany was not the same as situation in the United Kingdom.

“On the one hand we are trying to make Berlin and Paris to get involved in this issue [Turkey’s membership], and at the same time we are making efforts for countries who look warmly on Turkey’s accession in the bloc. Ultimately, Europe’s fate has not been written without Turkey up to now, and it won’t be written without Turkey in the future,” he said at a meeting organized by the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP).

“The EU’s future decisions regarding Turkey’s membership will affect the future of Europe more than ours,” he added.

Asked about the Greek Cypriot elections and the negotiation process on the divided island, Davutoğlu said the solution process was not being hindered by Turkey or Turkish Cyprus, but rather by Greek Cyprus.

“Neither Turkey nor Turkish Cyprus has responsibility for failing to secure a peace deal so far, it was Greek Cyprus that said ‘no’ in 2004 [to the Annan Peace Plan],” he said, adding that a “new test” was waiting for the newly-elected leader, Nicos Anastasiades. “If Anastasiades maintains his position on the peace process and paves a way for peace, he will definitely get a response.”

Anastasiades had supported the failed “yes” vote for a U.N. reunification blueprint in 2004, known as the so-called “Annan plan,” even though it was overwhelmingly rejected by Greek Cypriots, resulting in a divided island joining the EU.