Turkey less likely to join EU soon: Turkish analyst

Despite Ankara's fulfilling the European Union's requirements, Turkey will less likely join the EU soon, the director of  Turkey's Centre for International Relations and Strategic Analysis believes.

"The European Union hails Turkey's fulfilling the EU requirements, but putting forward new requirements for Turkey reduces Ankara's hopes to become a member of this organization soon," Ogan told Trend News in a telephone conversation from Istanbul on July 2.

Earlier, Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said his country's key task is a full membership at the European Union, the Turkish Anadolu news agency reported.

Turkey-EU cooperation began with the Ankara agreement signed in 1964. The EU announced that Copenhagen criteria set in 2002 are key to Turkey's EU membership. Turkey carried out large judicial and political reforms under the criteria.

Official talks on Turkey's EU admission began in 2005.

Some experts believe despite Turkey's increasing activity in the Middle East and Caucasus policy, there is stagnation in carrying out reforms due to membership at the EU

Ogan said the membership in the EU, in reality, is a key task of not the Justice and Development Party's government, but the Turkish state. However, the EU is not so sincere in Turkey's membership in the EU.

"The membership which is a strong from a political and military point of view of Turkey in the EU will affect all countries of this organization. Therefore, the EU continues to artificially create obstacles for Turkey's joining this organization," Ogan said.

Although Turkey is the strongest country in Middle East, it cannot dominate in this region, he said.

"Despite Turkey's all opportunities, it does not dominate in Middle East, because besides Turkey, there are Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia in this area," he said.

Even if Turkey does not become a member of the EU, it will remain a leading force in the region and Turkic world, Ogan said.

/Trend News/