Sarkozy in Turkey for G20 talks amid dispute over EU bid
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French President Nicolas Sarkozy arrived in the Turkish capital Ankara on Friday afternoon for a work visit within the G20 framework amid the two countries' dispute over Turkey's long-delayed accession to the European Union (EU).
Sarkozy will meet Turkish President Abdullah Gul and Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan during his short visit.
The French leader said ahead of his visit that he came to have in-depth discussions on the French term presidency in the G20 with top-level Turkish officials and hopefully gain their support and opinions.
It was Sarkozy's first visit to Turkey since he was elected president of France in 2007.
Ankara wanted Sarkozy to make an extended official visit this time, but he declined to do so, according to a Turkish Foreign Ministry senior official who did not want to be identified.
Meanwhile, Sarkozy continued to argue against a full EU membership to aspirant Turkey, a topic that has irked the predominantly Muslim country.
"I believe it is necessary to have close ties between Turkey and the EU as much as possible without going any further toward a full membership that in fact could be beneficial neither for Turkey nor for the EU," Sarkozy said in an interview with Turkish daily Hurriyet Daily News.
The EU launched accession talks with Turkey in October 2005 but has only opened 13 chapters, or negotiating areas, out of 35 that are required so far.
The Cyprus issue is a major stumbling block on Turkey's path to EU membership, as Turkey refuses to open ports and airports to the traffic of Greek Cypriot side, which is an EU member.
Meanwhile, French and German leaders favor a "privileged relationship" with Turkey instead of granting it full membership.
Speaking on private ATV TV channel on Thursday night, Erdogan said Sarkozy's approach to Turkey was very wrong and that he would remind the French leader about his comments on Turkey's EU process when he comes to Turkey.
The EU needs Turkey and vice versa, he said.
"However, if the EU does not want Turkey, it should indicate so. We will go on our own path," said Erdogan.
