Turkey will strengthen the European Union even if the road to future membership in the bloc is "long and stony," DPA quoted Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu as saying Saturday. The country is undergoing a "silent revolution" and carrying through reforms that "were unthinkable just a few years ago," he wrote in an op-ed article in the Stockholm daily Dagens Nyheter. Turkey aimed to become one of the world's 10 largest economies and become "indispensable" for the EU's economic force, he said. The Turkish foreign minister was Saturday to take part at an informal meeting of EU foreign ministers hosted by Sweden, the current holder of the rotating EU presidency. Davutoglu said Turkey was continuing to fulfill its obligations under the so-called Copenhagen criteria, which call for stable democratic institutions, respect for human rights and protection of minorities. "Just as we are preparing the ground for membership, the EU has to keep to its side of the bargain," he said. "First and foremost the union has to show the necessary leadership to inform public opinion against the disinformation concerning Turkey's membership," he said. "Negative voices that we still hear from certain countries in the EU just spread discontent among our citizens and hamper our efforts to continue our reforms," Davutoglu said. Germany and France have been among the most outspoken opponents of full-fledged EU membership for Turkey. But Davutoglu said his country had found a strong supporter in Sweden, which has an influential voice as the bloc's current chair. "Sweden realizes, as we do, that Europe can never be a strong cohesive unity as long as Turkey remains outside the EU," the foreign minister said.
