ISTANBUL
Turkey's Minister for European Union Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said Friday that Turkey's EU membership process should be placed in the Guinness Book of World Records since no other country has waited as long as Turkey to become a member of the EU.
Speaking at a meeting attended by 39 Danish ambassadors in Istanbul, Bagis said that the obstacles placed in front of Turkey's EU negotiation process has not been placed before any other country.
"Turkey has been waiting for so long to be a member of the EU, and there is no other country which has had such a long negotiation process," he said. "It is time that Turkey's EU membership process is placed in the Guinness Book of World Records."
Noting that Turkey has made great reforms during its EU membership process, Bagis said Turkey would continue to carry out such reforms.
He reminded that Turkey has the 16th largest economy in the world, the 6th largest economy in Europe and continues to have the fastest growing economy in Europe with a 4.4 point growth in the second quarter of 2013.
When asked if Islamophobia would be discussed during the meeting as the Muslim population has been seen as a threat in Denmark since 2011, he replied, "This will be a platform for the two countries to discuss this issue."
englishnews@aa.com.tr
