Turkey has freed itself from systems of tutelage in the last 12 years in line with the vision of a "New Turkey", President of Foreign Affairs Committee in Parliament, Ahmet Berat Çonkar, said on Thursday.

Çonkar made the comments in the Italian capital Rome at a conference titled "New Turkey."

Turkey has undertaken important steps in terms of democratizing and reforming itself, and is at a very different place compared to 12 years before, according to Çonkar.

The Senior Advisor to the Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, Etyen Mahçupyan, who was also present at the conference, said that the concept of "New Turkey" had been formed by the ruling AK Party and it promised a new all-inclusive "citizenship notion."

Turkey should be part of EU: Italian politician

Rocco Buttiglione, an Italian Union of Christian and Centre Democrats politician, suggested during the conference that Turkey should be a part of the European Union. He asked, "Is Europe a Christian club?" to which he answered, "No it is not."

"Religion is only a part of Europe's identity. Double-identity will empower our union should Turkey be a part of the EU."

Turkey's importance for the European Union was emphasized in many other sessions of the conference.