‘Turkey’s EU Accession Process and the EU’s Perspective on Turkey During the Membership Process’ was evaluated in a talk organized at the Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Ömer Ersoy Culture Center with the participation of the Swedish Ambassador to Ankara Christer Asp, who visited our province at the invitation of GAGEV (Gaziantep Development Foundation). The talk held at the Ömer Ersoy Culture Center was attended by the Swedish Ambassador to Ankara Christer Asp, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Asım Güzelbey, Gaziantep AK Party Member of Parliament Halil Mazıcıoğlu, MHP Member of Parliament Hasan Özdemir, AK Party Provincial Chairman Ahmet Uzer, GTO Chairman Mehmet Arslan, GSO Chairman Nejat Koçer, GAZÜ Rector Prof. Dr. Yavuz Coşkun and a large number of invitees. Stating that Gaziantep, which has hosted many civilizations, is shining as a peaceful, serene, child-friendly and culture-friendly city, Gaziantep Metropolitan Municipality Mayor Dr. Asım Güzelbey stated that ‘Sweden is one of the leading countries supporting Turkey’s EU entry and that they are very pleased for this. President Güzelbey, who also touched upon the importance of the ongoing work in Gaziantep being implemented in accordance with EU norms and the economic and cultural contacts maintained with Sweden and other European countries, said, ‘I believe that these works in our province will set an example for our other provinces during Turkey’s EU entry process.’ Stating that ‘Turkey’s decision to enter the EU is very important and that this decision will affect Turkey economically and politically, Christer Asp emphasized that it will be a country with the same vision within the wider community of nations, that this is an important step for the development of a country, and that therefore Turkey’s EU entry process should be discussed and addressed in depth.’ Stating that the EU is a peace project and that it was established to eliminate economic and political frictions among European countries, Asp said that ‘Mustafa Kemal Atatürk’s words Peace at Home, Peace in the World fully express the purpose of the EU’s establishment. Asp said, ‘The project was ultimately successful, peace was established between EU member states, these countries were freer, richer and more prosperous than ever before, and they owed this to the continuously maintained expansion policy. Visiting the Mother Center, established by the Metropolitan Municipality and a first in Turkey, the Swedish Ambassador to Ankara, Christer Asp, said, ‘The center will be very beneficial to the people of the region, and this work is more comprehensive than similar work in Europe. Visiting Gaziantep Castle, Panorama Museum, Wonderland, and Coppersmiths’ Bazaar, Asp stated that the Panorama Museum project has no equivalent in Europe and that these should be introduced.
