Turkish President Recep Tayyip ErdoganANKARA, Jan 13 Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan stated that the country is aiming for full membership in the European Union, but is facing steps to delay negotiations on this process. «Turkey, as before, aims for full membership in the EU. I urge not to allow attempts by individual countries to sabotage the dialogue between Ankara and the EU under the pretext of ensuring «solidarity «within the European Union,» Erdogan said Thursday at a meeting with EU ambassadors at the Çankaya residence in Ankara. The Turkish leader said that his state is «the key to resolving the problems that the EU countries are facing today.» signed an association agreement with the EU (at that time — the EEC), and in 1987 applied for membership in the union. However, accession negotiations began only in 2005, and were repeatedly suspended due to disagreements. 16 out of 35 chapters of the negotiation dossier are now open.
