Turkey works insistently for full EU membership:Erdogan

By Beyza Binnur Donmez

ANKARA (AA) - Turkish president Thursday reiterated vow to gain full membership in the European Union despite counter-efforts.

"Turkey proceeds on its way persistently despite those trying to exclude it from the European family," Recep Tayyip Erdogan told a reform action group meeting in the capital Ankara.

Erdogan stressed that Turkey has been struggling to become a full member of the EU for the last 60 years, adding that the country is determined to gain it.

EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs EU, Erdogan stressed.

Turkey applied for the EU membership in 1987 and accession talks began in 2005.

But negotiations stalled in 2007 due to objections of the Greek Cypriot administration on the divided island of Cyprus as well as opposition from Germany and France.