November 29, 2006 - 15:13 AMT
EU Not Ready to Admit Turkey as Full Member
The European Union is not ready to admit Turkey as a full member, Diba Nigar Goksel, the Editor of the Turkish Policy Quarterly, Analyst of the European Stability Initiative stated in Yerevan. In her words, presently Turkey looks for other ways to consolidate its positions in the region and Europe. "Turkey's activities in the BSEC, for example, can promote the march of the South Caucasian states towards the EU. Turkey is convinced that the BSEC member states must play key role in ensuring security and stability throughout the region. As to Turkey's integration into the European structures, one can mark out two basic directions to develop relations, these being prospects of the state and obligations to Europe. Unfortunately, neither of the directions yields results," she underscored.

She also remarked that the EU can finally lose trust to the states of the region if they fail to achieve stability. As to the Russia-Turkey relations, Ms Goksel said that the two states develop cooperation within the BSEC. "Thus, plenty of regional problems, specifically energy issues, will be resolved," she added.