The German Foreign Minister has traveled to Ankara and intends to discuss Turkey's request to join the European Union with the country's leaders. Joschka Fischer stated to the Hurriyet newspaper on Wednesday, before heading to Ankara, that Turkey's entry into the Union is very important for Europe's strategic interests and added that the cost of closing the door on Turkey would be very high. The European Union is expected to inform Turkey by the end of this year whether it has met all the necessary criteria to begin membership negotiations. Last week, Romano Prodi, the President of the European Commission, visited Turkey and praised the government for implementing reforms, but stated that the reform plans must be fully executed.
German Foreign Minister's Visit to Ankara - 2004-01-21
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer visited Ankara to discuss Turkey's EU membership request. He emphasized the strategic importance of Turkey's entry into the EU and warned against the consequences of denying it. The EU will assess Turkey's readiness for membership negotiations by the end of the year.
👥 Key Players
⚡ Actions
📰 What Happened
German Foreign Minister discusses Turkey's EU membership with leaders in Ankara.
- German Foreign Minister meeting Turkey's leaders
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
Turkey's potential EU membership is crucial for European strategic interests.
📝 Key Evidence
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%