“Türkiye sees its EU membership process as ‘strategic priority,’ as it is an ‘inseparable part of Europe,” says Recep Tayyip Erdogan
Europe’s security without Türkiye is unimaginable, said the nation’s President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday.
Türkiye sees its EU membership process as “strategic priority,” as it is an “inseparable part of Europe,” Erdogan said in an address to foreign ambassadors serving in the capital Ankara.
“It is becoming increasingly impossible for Europe to continue as a global actor without Türkiye taking its rightful place,” he said during an iftar meal, the end of the daytime fast for the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
Erdogan highlighted that Europe must also be aware of Türkiye’s status, saying: “We expect our European friends to face this reality and advance our full membership process with visionary perspective.”
Underlining his concern over rising Islamophobia in Europe, he said: “Islamophobia and cultural racism are spreading like poison ivy in Western countries where millions of Muslims live. It is unacceptable that abhorrent attacks on our holy book, the Holy Quran, are justified under the pretext of freedom of opinion.”
Stating that they want to preserve the environment of stability in the Eastern Mediterranean and Aegean, Erdogan said: “We are in favor of preserving the positive atmosphere we have established with mutual steps in our relations with our neighbor Greece. We also make contributions to preserving stability in the Balkans.”
