Turkey wants visa exemption from Germany

Ahead of German Chancellor Angela Merkel's two-day visit to Ankara, Turkey once again ruled out Germany's offer for a "privileged partnership" rather than full membership to EU.

Turkish Foreign Ministry Spokesman Burak Ozugergin said Wednesday that privileged partnership was simply not an option for Turkey.

Earlier this week, Merkel said she would offer Turkey alternatives to full EU membership during her visit to Turkey on March 29 and 30.

"I am of the opinion that we should rather aim for a privileged partnership, in other words a very close affiliation of Turkey to the European Union," German news agency DPA quoted Merkel as saying in an interview with Deutschlandfunk radio.

Turkey's stance is as clear as Merkel's, Ozugergin told a weekly press briefing, adding, "an option rather than full membership is unacceptable for Turkey."

Turkey is a candidate country for EU membership following the Helsinki European Council of December 1999. Accession negotiations started in October 2005 with the analytical examination of the EU legislation.

Ozugergin said Turkey expects Germany to keep following the principle of pacta sunt servanda.

Asked whether or not Turkey would ask Germany to apply easy terms for visa requirements for Turkish citizens, Ozugergin said, "we do not expect easy terms, we want exemption."


/World Bulletin/