Turkey's EU membership will open new horizons for both Turkey and the European Union and bring forth newchallenges, visiting new EU commissioner Olli Rehn said in Ankara on Wednesday.

Rehn made the remarks at a conference named "Turkey in the EU: ACommon Future," which was organized by the European Parliament Greens/EFA (European Freedoms Alliance) Group in Istanbul, the largest city of Turkey.

Turkey's accession to the EU was one of the most important itemson the EU's agenda, Rehn was quoted by Turkey's semi-official Anatolia News Agency as saying.

Rehn also praised Turkey for achieving a series of meaningful reforms since 1999, including annulment of death penalty, broadcastin Kurdish and other languages and a new penal code.

There are still steps to be taken in fundamental freedoms, minority rights, trade unions and human rights, but the most important thing is that reforms should be sustainable in Turkey, headded.

"Entry talks could last for the next 10 years and Turkey's EU accession process will be tough and complicated. However, the target at the end of this path is quite meaningful," said the commissioner.

Meanwhile, Rehn expressed confidence that the opening of entry talks and Turkey's ongoing efforts would lead to a macro-economic stability in Turkey.

"Turkey's dynamic population will support Europe's aging population. We are about to open a new page in the EU integration process," he said.

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul insisted that Turkey-EU integration process progress steadily toward the target of a full membership without any delay.

"The decision to be made at the EU Summit on Dec. 17 is of greatimportance in regard to setting the route of Turkey-EU integration process," he said.

Gul said that Turkey would continue deepening its democracy on the basis of European values, which conform to Turkish people's traditional and moral values.

On Oct. 6, the European Commission recommended the EU to open entry talks with Turkey without any delay, a historical step laudedby both sides. EU leaders are due to consider the proposal in December.

Source: Xinhua