Mr. Egemen Bagis:

I thank the joint committee for its hospitality and the opportunity to share my views on the relationship between Turkey and the EU in advance of the Irish Presidency. I arrived with my delegation yesterday and spent a day in Drogheda. It is a lovely town that symbolises the friendship between our two great nations. Our history with Ireland is deep and built on mutual respect and solidarity.

The Turkish-EU relationship is not new. It is historical. Our first application to join the Community was in 1959. We have been trying to become members of the club for 53 years. It took 45 years just to get a date to start accession negotiations, which commenced in 2004. It has been eight years since the process began. We opened the first chapter in 2005 and since then have opened 13 more. There are 20 more chapters to be opened, of which 17 are politically blocked. We cannot open them but hope during the Irish Presidency to unblock some. The three which can technically be opened are the ones every accession country left to the end of their process because of the economic hardship they represent to candidate nation economies. I have had extensive talks with the Minister of State with responsibility for European Affairs, my good friend Deputy Creighton. We understand that Turkey will not become a member during the Irish Presidency, but it is an opportunity to put our relationship with the EU back on track. We understand that it will take some time and that at the end of the process Turkey may decide to become a member state, notwithstanding certain shortcomings. Turkey might be vetoed by certain countries as happened with the UK, Spain and Portugal previously. It may be the case that, like Norway, Turkey chooses not to become a member. As of now, we must continue a process which is good for both sides.

As Turkey approves and implements more EU reforms and the acquis communautaire, it becomes a dependable ally, important market and a bridge to other nations. Turkey is currently playing a crucial role geographically and historically. I am very happy to see that we have friends in Ireland who understand that Turkey can carry some of Europe's burdens and does not represent, as is wrongly believed by some, a burden to it. I am happy to see that Ireland is on the right track and look forward to its Presidency.