Former Greek PM urges EU to keep doors open to Turkey

George Papandreou, former Prime Minister of Greece, has urged European Union leaders to keep the doors open to Turkey and to continue dialogue with the Turkish government, in an apparent reference to German Chancellor Angela Merkel's calls for the suspension of accession talks with Turkey.

"We need to keep the doors open for cooperation between Europe and Turkey … Keep the doors open for a European future for the Turkish people. One may differ and even be very critical on many things happening in Turkey today. Yet, closing the door will not change that, it will penalize the people of Turkey," Papandreou said at the opening ceremony of the Zülfü Livaneli Cultural Center in downtown Ankara on Sept. 16. 

Papandreou highlighted that excluding Turkey would not solve the problems between Turkey and Europe but would feed negative stereotypes of Turkey and its people.

"It will also create negative stereotypes of Europe and its values in the minds of the Turkish people, as they will be told Europe does not want Turkey for religious reasons. Doors need to stay open and dialogue needs to continue," he said. 

Papandreou emphasized he will continue to be a "proponent of a European Turkey." The architect of the Turkish-Greek rapprochement with Turkey's late Foreign Minister İsmail Cem in late 1990s, Papandreou hailed Livaneli's contribution to launching a new beginning between the peoples of Turkey and Greece along with Greek artists, Mikis Theodorakis and Maria Farantouri.

"Zülfü Livaneli has a very special place in my heart and the heart of the Greek people. He is immensely appreciated as a composer and writer, he is admired and respected for the courage to live close to the values he has stood for," he said.

Livaneli and...