Danish Foreign Minister Per Stig Moeller is convinced that a "European Turkey" will be to the benefit of both the EU and Turkey, Ritzau news bureau reported on Tuesday.

The minister gave his assessment of the decision to begin Turkish EU accession negotiations late Monday after the deal was struck.

"Both sides should be pleased with it. If we come to a point where Europeans say, 'This isn't to our benefit', then it won't go any further," said Moeller. "But if we want to have a peaceful world, where we work together, and where people are happy to live together and help each other, then this is the way."

Although Austria only gave up its resistance to Turkish negotiations after Croatia was also permitted to start negotiations, Moeller said that he did not see it as a case of international wheeling and dealing.

For Moeller, the biggest task now awaiting EU members is to convince their populations of the benefits of Turkish membership.

Moeller highlighted that Turkey's large, young population would help to solve a looming shortage of workers in EU countries and that strategically it was important to have Turkey in the EU.

The foreign minister also saw Turkish membership as a way to bring Europe together. "Now, we can establish unity in Europe," he said.

Source: Xinhua