Finnish President Tarja Halonen said Finland supports Turkey's European Union membership talks, adding that her country will continue to promote Ankara's accession.

"We do not know why some countries are so hesitant about Turkey's EU membership. You should continue with the negotiations. The EU will be bigger and stronger with Turkey," Halonen told a joint press conference with her Turkish counterpart Abdullah Gul in the Turkish capital, Ankara.

Halonen said the accession process has never been easy for any of the EU members, adding that candidate countries should focus on the membership itself instead thinking of when it will happen.

"The candidate countries usually wonder when they will become a member. But the important thing is the marriage not the wedding. The important thing is to get prepared for the marriage," Halonen said.

She said Finland and Turkey work together in the Council of Europe and in the United Nations, adding that the two countries could also cooperate in trade, specifically in the field of renewable energy, Anatolian Agency reported.