MUNICH/LJUBLJANA, May 17 (Hina) - After the greatest wave of the European Union's expansion since its establishment, the Union can let Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia be admitted to its membership, but not Turkey to which it could offer
special relations in a form of privileged partnership, the Prime Minister of the German state of Bavaria, Edmund Stoiber, has said.
MUNICH/LJUBLJANA, May 17 (Hina) - After the greatest wave of the
European Union's expansion since its establishment, the Union can let
Bulgaria, Romania and Croatia be admitted to its membership, but not
Turkey to which it could offer special relations in a form of
privileged partnership, the Prime Minister of the German state of
Bavaria, Edmund Stoiber, has said.#L#
"After the big expansion it is necessary for the EU to consolidate
itself. I can see as EU members Bulgaria, Romania as well as Croatia
which has in recent years made important democratic and economic
steps," Stoiber said in an interview with the Slovene daily Delo on
Monday before his arrival in Ljubljana where he will be received by
Slovenia's President Janez Drnovsek and Prime Minister Anton Rop.
Asked whether Croatia can enter the EU in 2007, he answered that this
remained to be seen.
"This remains to be seen. Croatia, Romania and Bulgaria are not so
far, but after their admission a long period of consolidation must
ensue without any new round of the enlargement," the Bavarian official
said.
He said that he did not see Turkey as an EU member but that special
forms of relations such as 'privileged partnership' should be offered
to that country.
"We must clearly say to Turkey that Europe has its borders,
geographical and cultural ones. As Russia cannot join the EU, I
think that for the same reasons Turkey cannot do it, either," Stoiber
said.
(Hina) ms