VIANA DO CASTELO, Portugal (AFP) -- Turkey is determined to transform into ""a truly democratic country"" and become something the EU would consider an asset to its ranks, Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said.

""We have a very clear intention to change things in Turkey, to make Turkish democracy a first-class democracy, make Turkey a truly democratic country where the rule of law works, where people exercise their freedoms, and where fundamental rights are respected,"" Babacan said during his first foray onto the European scene since becoming foreign minister.
He was invited to the northern Portuguese port town of Viana do Castelo along with counterparts from other European Union candidate nations to take part in a meeting of EU foreign ministers.
Babacan, who succeeds new Turkish President Abdullah Gul, was speaking just weeks ahead of the publication of the European Commission's annual report on Turkey's progress towards EU membership, expected to be critical of the slow pace of reforms during an election year.
Babacan insisted that his country would not make reforms ""just to produce an excellent report"".
""What we do is for ourselves and our country, to prepare a better and better environment for our own people,"" he said.
While certain EU members, notably France, have voiced strong misgivings over possible Turkish entry to the Union, Babacan said he was sure that, thanks to the ongoing reform process, ""Turkey is going to become to be perceived more and more as an asset for the EU"".
Britain, on the other hand, is championing Turkish EU membership.
""We think it's good for Britain, good for Europe and good for Turkey,"" British Foreign Secretary David Miliband said in Madrid Friday.
In October 2005 Turkey began accession talks with the EU which could last 10 or 15 years and hold no guarantee of final membership.
The negotiation process has been hampered by Ankara's refusal to open its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot planes.
Cyprus is already a member of the Union.
Currently Turkey has only successfully completed one of the 35 policy chapters which must be navigated prior to membership.
Eight of those chapters have been frozen and no new chapters may be wrapped up until the Cyprus issue is resolved.
Asked about the notorious Article 301, Babacan said: ""I don't want to talk about a specific article of a specific law right now, but we are working on a new constitution.""
The election process, from April to September, had been ""a test for our democracy"" he said.
""I think freedom of expression, freedom of speech, was very nicely exercised during the election process,"" he added