ANKARA, Oct. 23 (Xinhua) -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Monday urged European leaders to give full EU membership to Turkey that would in turn help the bloc in overcoming its chronic problems.
Erdogan called on European states to "stop targeting Turkey."
"A Europe without Turkey will only lead to isolation, desperation and civil strife. Turkey does not need Europe, but Europe needs Turkey," Erdogan said in Ankara.
"Though they do not want to see it, Turkey and its full membership is the cure for their chronic problems," he was quoted by state-run Anadolu Agency as saying.
The Turkish president called on European leaders to stop targeting Turkey and return to their "common sense."
Turkey applied for membership in the European Economic Community (a precursor to the EU) in 1987. It became eligible for EU membership in 1997 and accession talks began in 2005.
Erdogan also blasted the controversial body search on Turkish citizens by Austrian authorities with dogs at an airport in Vienna on Oct. 13, described the move a "disgrace."
"They search my citizens coming from the west to Turkey with dogs. How can such a disgrace happen?" he said.
The footage was shared on social media of a customs official making a police dog sniff-search passengers and their belongings, while customers were waiting to board a Turkish Airlines flight at Vienna's Schwechat Airport.
Istanbul Airport authorities reportedly responded this move by body searching a number of passengers bound for Austria with dogs.
