Turkey’s foreign minister recently told journalists in a visit to Latvia that his country will be ready to join the European Union by 2013. Turkey has launched a four year plan to modernize the economy and meet the standards necessary for EU membership.
Turkish foreign minister Ali Babacan told journalists that “We have a full determination to join the EU. By the year 2013, Turkey will say it’s ready, but we don’t know if the EU will be ready for it.
The country initiated a series of far-reaching reforms in recent years and has been in talks with the EU to join the group. Turkey plans to comply with EU accession criteria by 2013, though that date has not been endorsed by the EU leadership in Brussels.
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