LUXEMBOURG
Turkey is committed to its European Union accession process and expects the same commitment from the EU, the Turkish Minister for EU Affairs has told a meeting in Luxembourg.
Mevlut Cavusolgu attended the 52nd Turkey-EU Association Council meeting in Luxembourg on Monday.
"Turkey will do its full share of work and we expect the EU to do the same," Mevlut Cavusoglu told a press conference, with the EU's enlargement policy chief Stefan Fule and Greek Foreign Minister Evangelos Venizelos following the meeting.
Turkey continues to pursue EU membership and aims to open chapters 23 and 24 on "judiciary and fundamental rights" and "justice, freedom and security".
Negotiations began in 2005 and Turkey must comply with 35 negotiation chapters which set out reforms it must achieve to become a member. So far, only 14 chapters have been opened while 17 remain blocked.
He said Turkey's EU membership was a strategic choice, calling on the EU to approach Turkey's accession with a strategic perspective instead of what he called backing some member countries' short-term political interests.
He said that 17 chapters remained blocked due to political issues, referring to the ongoing dispute over the divided island of Cyprus between Turkish Cypriot and Greek Cypriot sides since 1974. He urged the EU to open these chapters without further delay.
He also called on the EU to be fair and result-oriented in visa liberalization talks with Turkey.
Turkey and the EU signed a readmission agreement in December last year, allowing EU countries to send illegal migrants who enter Europe via Turkey back to Turkey; it will come into force in three years’ time.
The repatriation of illegal migrants is what Turkey has agreed to as part of a larger deal which will also allow Turkish citizens to travel visa-free to EU countries.
Meanwhile Steafan Fule reiterated his call to Turkey to reaccelerate reform process.
www.aa.com.tr/en
