Erdoan: Turkey considers Shanghai organization an alternative to EU

[baran4417]

25 January 2013 /TODAYSZAMAN.COM, İSTANBUL
Turkey and the European Union have failed to make substantial progress in their accession talks, pushing Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan to once again say that Turkey is seriously considering seeking membership in the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) as an alternative at a time when the EU’s future looks increasingly dim.
Speaking to reporters during a televised program aired in Kanal 24 late on Friday, Erdoğan said Turkey is now seeking alternative options amid eroding hopes on the EU process with regard to adamant opposition to Turkey’s membership by a number of EU member countries.

Touching upon a wide array of issues, Erdoğan said Turkey is seriously considering being part of the SCO.

Turkey was accepted as a dialogue partner by the SCO at its annual summit in Beijing on June 7.

“The fact is that we have not yet given up on the EU process. Egemen Bağış makes his presentation on [Turkey-EU] relations at every Cabinet meeting. He regularly travels throughout Europe,” Erdoğan said, citing the government’s continuing interest in the EU despite the pessimistic atmosphere.

Regarding ongoing peace talks with the terrorist Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), Erdoğan said he is ready to take any risk to end the dispute that has claimed the lives of thousands of people over the past three decades. “I’m aware of the risk I have taken. If there is a fire, extinguish it with water. If I can’t, I try to push it away from me, to a point where it cannot hurt me.”

He said Turkey is in the process of finding a solution and that the government is ready to use any instrument in this process to come up with a viable solution.

He also touched upon an ongoing discussion on the definition of the nation in the Constitution. Erdoğan said his party is ready to discuss a new definition and urged other parties to decide whether defining the concept of nation will take place though a constitutional change or if the matter will be settled through a minor change to existing law.

“Some of our friends from the Peace and Democracy Party [BDP] have called me and I told them that it upsets me if they doubt my sincerity,” Erdoğan said, calling on BDP deputies to lower the tone of their remarks. Erdoğan said he would not be able to bear the harsh remarks.

“They deliver speeches in Diyarbakır. At the end of the speech they say, ‘The prime minister, who backs peace efforts, is bombing our Kurdish brothers.’ Why should I bomb my Kurdish brothers?” Erdoğan asked, underlining that Turkey bombs terrorists in the mountains.

Erdoğan also lamented the poor cooperation between the EU and Turkey in the fight against terrorism.

“Nearly three years ago [former French President Nicolas] Sarkozy told me in a G-20 meeting that he had a surprise thing to tell me. He told me France would turn one of the prominent leaders of the terrorist organization over to Turkey. Sarkozy is gone but no one was turned anyone over to us,” Erdoğan said.


sabah.com.tr
"Sayın Putin'e 'Şangay 5'lisine bizi alın. Biz de Avrupa Birliği'ne Allahısmarladık diyelim' dedim. Şangay beşlisi daha iyi. Çok daha güçlü. Gelin derseniz geliriz dedik. Pakistan istiyor. Hindistan istiyor. Onların da talebi var. Hep beraber gideriz."

Erdoğan said " Get us to Shanghai CO. We say Allahısmarladık the European Union. Shanghai is better. Much more powerful. Pakistan wants. India wants. They also have a request. I always go together."

 

[T-123456]

What i dont understand is,why does it look like he is begging Putin?

 

[Icewolf]

All Turkish states, China, Russia, Iran, Pakistan should come together to form a Union

 

[what]

What i dont understand is,why does it look like he is begging Putin?

There are so many similarities between Erdogan and Putin, whether its on topics as democracy or freedom press.
But Putin is clearly ahead thats probably why he admires him.

I dont want my country to be a part of a group where Russia (!) is the most democratic country.

 

[A1Kaid]

Shanghai Cooperation Organization is not an economic bloc like EU. SCO is still a developing organization and it's mainstay is to focus on regional security cooperation. It currently doesn't seem effective in dealing with regional issues, I suppose until SCO grows and member-states begin to adhere to SCO more SCO will have little effect in Asia.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

The SCO is all about energy/security/anti-terrorism cooperation in Central Asia.

It's not really an alternative to the EU, certainly not at this early stage.

 

[Kompromat]

Welcome home Turks

 

[BronzePlaque]

The SCO is all about energy/security/anti-terrorism cooperation in Central Asia.

It's not really an alternative to the EU, certainly not at this early stage.

And thats what we need mate...Energy, energy and energy...EU is a lost cause, they have absouletly nothing to offer us anymore, we are already doing good compared to EU as a whole anyways. I would choose SCO over EU at anytime without questioning

 

[atatwolf]

EU market is dying. Asia is the future.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

EU market is dying. Asia is the future.

I guess that is why you posted this thread then?

http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-...egration-china-because-economic-collapse.html

 

[atatwolf]

I guess that is why you posted this thread then?

http://www.defence.pk/forums/china-...egration-china-because-economic-collapse.html

I said Asia, not China.

You don't have to thank me.

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

I said Asia, not China.

China is by far the largest economy in the SCO (and Asia), and by far the fastest growing as well.

If you think China's economy is doing to disintegrate then what is the point of joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization?

Maybe the EU's economy will do better, you can go with them instead.

 

[Yeti]

Even UK might want out of EU when they hold referendum on in or out

 

[Chinese-Dragon]

Erdoğan said " Get us to Shanghai CO. We say Allahısmarladık the European Union. Shanghai is better. Much more powerful. Pakistan wants. India wants. They also have a request. I always go together."

He's only saying that because the EU is blocking his entry.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization is not an EU alternative.

 

[atatwolf]

China is by far the largest economy in the SCO (and Asia), and by far the fastest growing as well.

If you think China's economy is doing to disintegrate then what is the point of joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization?

Maybe the EU's economy will do better, you can go with them instead.

I already explained this. But for some reason you can't put your national pride on the side. You say China's economy is one the biggest, this is not important. You have to look at indiviual population wealth. You can have the biggest economy but if you have billion of population and divide the wealth, not much remains, does it? That is why poverty is so high in China. But if you want to dicsuss this, I recommend we continue in the thread, since it is off-topic here.

Secondly, you say we shouldn't join SCO because of China. Why not? China is not the only country in the organization, besides that we can kick out China and step out the organization any time we want. I'm not interested in cooperation with China any way. It is much more interesting to cooperate with Russia, Turkic states and other Asian countries who are in the organization.