Turkije: EU-lidmaatschap niet tegen elke prijs (en)

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has said that his country should not pursue membership of the EU at "any cost".

According to agency reports, Mr Gul, who was speaking before parliament on Tuesday, said "we do not believe that Turkey should do anything at any cost to join the EU".

Referring to the decision next month by EU leaders on whether to open membership negotiations with Turkey, the foreign minister said "we will do our best and see what happens ... If the outcome does not satisfy us, we will leave it there; if it does we will go on".

Mr Gul told MPs that the EU was wary of admitting a country as vast as Turkey but was forced to consider the issue when Ankara conducted a series of reforms in order to adhere to the EU's political criteria.

Calling the European Commission's progress report on Turkey, which was published last month, a "great success", Mr Gul nevertheless went on to criticise proposals that would allow the EU to impose restrictions on Turkish nationals working in the Union.

"If these [restrictions] are temporary, we will agree to them", said Mr Gul, according to AFP. "But we cannot accept an unconditional and indefinite absence of free movement from Turkey to another country".