Bağış calls on Israel to respect region’s people

BRUSSELS

EU Minister Bağış (C) says Turkey wanted to bring an end to the ‘open prison’ situation in Palestine, speaking at a conference at the Friends of Turkey group yesterday. AA photo

EU Minister Egemen Bağış has said it is “ridiculous for Israel to expect to have prosperous relations with the countries in the region after killing “nine citizens of its only Muslim ally Turkey” in the raid on a Gaza-bound flotilla in May 2010.

 Bağış made the speech, titled “On Developments in the Arab World and Turkey,” at a conference organized by the Economic Development Foundation (IKV) and MÜSİAD, at the European Parliament’s Friends of Turkey group yesterday. Bağış said it was in Israel’s interest to respect the people in the region, and to live in peace. He also said Turkey wanted to bring an end to the “open prison” situation in Palestine. Meanwhile, Bağış and a delegation from the Turkish Industry and Business Association (TÜSİAD), headed by its chair Ümit Boyner, met in Brussels on March 6 in a warm atmosphere. Bağış said that TÜSİAD’s mistake was it always gave its messages through the media. “If only you could give us a call first,” he said. Boyner recently criticized a government plan to reform the education system which brings tension between the government and TÜSİAD.