Turkey and France, one long love story
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Kasım 27, 2008 00:00
ISTANBUL - Despite many messages of friendship between Turkey and France ahead of a new cooperative project, one Turkish official also expressed bitterness at Turkey’s seemingly endless European Union candidacy.
"When I was born, Turkey was a potential EU member candidate. Now I am 51, and we are still a potential EU member candidate," said State Minister Kürşad Tüzmen, adding that he was having difficulty both understanding the situation and explaining it to others.
Tüzmen was attending the Foreign Economic Relations Board, or DEİK, working breakfast with France’s Minister in Charge of Foreign Trade Anne Marie Idrac to sign a Joint Economic and Trade Committees Protocol. Aside from Tüzmen’s frustration about the EU membership, he did emphasize the strong, positive ties between the two countries and expressed optimism for the future.
Tüzmen said France has played an important role in Turkey politically, economically and culturally since the days of the Ottoman Empire and admitted, "We might have some difficulty understanding each other regarding the EU, but our relations are definitely good."
"This is just one long love story. You see, we are still handsome, young, and hard working, and since people were watching we got engaged in 2003. Sure, the wedding date is not yet set, our family is crowded and poor, and we don’t get along with the father-in-law. But we are young, handsome, and hardworking and so we keep on gaining points," said Tüzmen regarding the complicated relationship between the EU and Turkey.
Pointing out that Turkey’s economy was much stronger than many EU members, he said that the biggest issue was an inability to advertise itself. "We need to redraw our image in France. We need to show what a real Turk is, and what Turkey really is."
Tüzmen was attending the Foreign Economic Relations Board, or DEİK, working breakfast with France’s Minister in Charge of Foreign Trade Anne Marie Idrac to sign a Joint Economic and Trade Committees Protocol. Aside from Tüzmen’s frustration about the EU membership, he did emphasize the strong, positive ties between the two countries and expressed optimism for the future.
Tüzmen said France has played an important role in Turkey politically, economically and culturally since the days of the Ottoman Empire and admitted, "We might have some difficulty understanding each other regarding the EU, but our relations are definitely good."
"This is just one long love story. You see, we are still handsome, young, and hard working, and since people were watching we got engaged in 2003. Sure, the wedding date is not yet set, our family is crowded and poor, and we don’t get along with the father-in-law. But we are young, handsome, and hardworking and so we keep on gaining points," said Tüzmen regarding the complicated relationship between the EU and Turkey.
Pointing out that Turkey’s economy was much stronger than many EU members, he said that the biggest issue was an inability to advertise itself. "We need to redraw our image in France. We need to show what a real Turk is, and what Turkey really is."