Gul hopeful for Turkey's EU membership negotiations

Turkish President Abdullah Gul expressed hope that Turkey's EU membership negotiation process would be concluded positively. Holding a joint press conference with Portuguese Prime Minister Pedro Passos Coelho on Monday, Gul said that Turkey's completing the negotiation process successfully would be for everybody's interest. Gul noted that Turkey and Portugal's relationship was very strong today, and added that both countries served in NATO in hard times. Gul underlined that the trade volume between the two countries was about USD 1 billion and would continue to increase and that businessmen would be able to establish great partnerships. "As of April 2013, Portuguese citizens have been able to visit Turkey only by using their ID cards. We hope that the EU will change its visa policy against Turkey and make it more understandable," Gul said. The Portuguese Prime Minister said, "The political relationship between Portugal and Turkey is on a great level. The signing of four agreements will boost it." Turkish President Gul meets Portuguese parliament speaker Gul met Portuguese Parliament Speaker Maria Assuncao Andrade Esteves in Lisbon. Gul was welcomed by Parliament Speaker Esteves on Monday with a military ceremony at Sao Bento Palace. Turkish President Gul was accompanied by a delegation of deputies who came together with members of the Portuguese Parliament.