ANKARA
Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu headed to Poland Monday on a visit he said will focus on accelerating Turkey's EU accession talks and the security and political crisis in Eastern Ukraine.
"We will discuss the Ukrainian crisis on the Baltics and Black Sea line, along the recent situation in the Mid-East and other international issues," he told a press conference at Ankara's Esenboga Airport before departing to Warsaw where he will stay for two days.
The visit came one week after Polish politician and former premier Donald Tusk replaced Herman Van Rompuy as president of the European Council, and will also mark the 600th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Poland and Turkey.
Davutoglu will hold bilateral talks with Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski and Polish PM Ewa Kopacz.
Deputy PM Numan Kurtulmus, Economy Minister Nihat Zeybekci and Culture and Tourism Minister Omer Celik will also accompany the premier during the visit.
Turkey's EU accession process, the Cyprus issue, along with the recent crises in Syria and Iraq, will also dominate the agenda of the prime minister's talks in Poland, according to a written statement from the Turkish Prime Ministry.
The Turkish premier will deliver a speech at a joint press briefing with Poland's Kopacz following the two leaders' private meeting.
He will also meet representatives of the Turkish community in the former Soviet nation and will make remarks Tuesday at the closing ceremony of the 600th anniversary celebration at Poland's leading art institution Teatr Wielki, where a number of Turkish artists will be present.
EU Commissioners visit to Ankara
Before leaving for Warsaw, Davutoglu held a meeting in Ankara with the High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini, Commissioner for European Neighborhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations Johannes Hahn and European Commissioner for Humanitarian Aid and Crisis Management Christos Stylianides.
He said the EU commissioners' visit was significant since it came shortly after they took charge of the top EU seats at the beginning of December.
"One of our political priorities is to give a boost to the accession talks," he said.
The Turkish premier said the main issues discussed with the commissioners were eliminating hurdles in the accession talks, opening new chapters, visa liberalization within the context of the customs union as well as joint strategies in neighboring countries, mainly in the Middle East and Ukraine.
He also said the visit was important because it allowed for intense consultation between the European bloc's new administrative team and Turkey's new government.
"Both sides agreed that these mechanisms should be continuous," the PM said. "We want the commissioners to keep these collective visits regular so the accession process can be accelerated."
Davutoglu also said he will pay a visit to the EU capital Brussels in mid-January for initial consultations with the new EU presidency.
EU officials are also scheduled to meet with President Erdogan following the quartet meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and Turkey’s EU Minister Volkan Bozkir.
Mogherini and Stylianides will also head to Turkey's southeast province of Gaziantep, where more than 33,000 Syrian refugees are taking shelter in four different camps.
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