Ali Babacan

Turkey does not have an official exchange rate target.

Turkey has a young and growing population. Until recently, this was perceived as a problem, a burden that Turkey would bring to the E.U. But it is, in fact, an asset that can help the population deficit of the E.U. and the economic growth of Turkey.

Turkey shares Europe's fundamental values of democracy and the rule of law.

Islam and democracy can function together.

Those looking from Europe see Turkey as an economic success, whereas others from the Middle East see Turkey as a democratic success.

When Turkey buys Iranian oil, we pay for it in Turkish lira... However, it is not possible for Iran to take that money as dollars into its own country due to international restrictions, the U.S.A.'s sanctions. Therefore, when Iran cannot take this money back as currency, they withdraw Turkish lira and buy gold from our market.

Greece is not an easy country to do business in.

A country which has a population 99% as their faith in Islam can also be a country which are subscribing to the universal values of the E.U.

Turkey's energy bill due to imports will fall with the increase in use of renewable energy sources. We have no control over the prices of petroleum and natural gas.

Northern Iraq has become, economically, a natural extension of Turkey.

The E.U. initially decided to end the isolation of Turkish Cyprus, to balance the accession of Cyprus. But the E.U. has not carried through on its promise.

We have been talking with leaders: Change is coming; you can no longer have a closed regime with an open society - satellites, social media, the Internet - you have this kind, this kind of society moving forward, and you are running this closed regime; this is not sustainable. This cannot continue.