From Agence France Presse: Turkey on Friday bitterly marked 50 years since its first application to integrate formally with Europe, a date overshadowed by its troubled EU accession talks.

“We remember this anniversary but it’s not a cause for celebration,” Turkey’s chief negotiator with the EU, Egemen Bagis, said in a statement.

“Our country has no longer any tolerance for time wasting and delays… We have to learn lessons from past mistakes, fulfill our responsibilities and achieve the goal of full membership as soon as possible,” he said, stressing Ankara’s determination to continue on the path of reform. (photo: Egemen Bagis, Turkey’s chief negotiator with the EU; AFP)