UK's PM says angry with EU blockings for Turkey

As Britain, we know what it means to be out of the (European) club. Yet we know that the status quo could change, Cameron said.

Turkey began the process of accession talks with the 27-member EU in 2005, but progress has been slow.

On his first visit to Ankara since becoming prime minister in May, Cameron said Turkey would bring greater prosperity and political stability to the bloc thanks to its vast economic potential and growing influence in the Middle East.

"This is something I feel very strongly, very passionately about. Together, I want us to pave the road from Ankara to Brussels," Cameron said in a speech to the Union of Chambers of Commerce and Commodity Exchanges of Turkey, an influential business group.

Cameron described Turkey as a fast-growing economic power that would be increasingly important and said this was a huge opportunity for British businesses. Britain's main trading partners are European countries with much slower growth rates.

"Today the value of our (bilateral Britain-Turkey) trade is over $9 billion a year. I want us to double this over the next five years," he said.

"The truth is that trade is the biggest wealth creator we've ever known, and when we talk about stimulus it is trade and a trade deal that can give our economies the stimulus they need right now," he said.

An EU without Turkey would be weaker. An EU without Turkey would be less secure. And, an EU without Turkey would be poorer, Cameron noted.

This was a pointed comment at a time when the coalition government headed by Cameron is preparing to slash public spending to reduce a record peacetime deficit. Critics say the cuts risk damaging a fragile recovery and bringing back recession.

Improving trade ties with fast-growing emerging markets is a central plank of the Cameron government's foreign policy. After Turkey, Cameron heads to India with a big delegation of business leaders and a similar message on the benefits of trade.


/World Bulletin/