Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Friday that it was time for Turkey to make more decisions about country’s bid to join the 27-nation bloc.
“Time has come to take more serious steps and make more serious decisions about Turkey’s EU process. We expect EU to make a more comprehensive assessment,” Davutoglu told a press conference following his talks in Brussels.
Earlier in the day, Davutoglu, as the Chairman of the Committee of Ministers of Council of Europe, had meetings with CoE Secretary-General Thorbjorn Jagland and EU’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton at the meeting of “CoE-EU High-Level Dialogue.” He also had a separate meeting with Ashton, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule and Commissioner for home Affairs Cecilia Malmstrom.
Davutoglu urged EU to speed up efforts for opening of negotiation chapters, saying, “we cannot walk this way wondering during every rotating EU presidency if a new chapter will be opened. We started on our journey to see the end of the road, not to go round in circles.”
On visa-free travel of Turkish nationals to EU countries, Davutoglu said that he shared his disappointment with EU officials.
Last month, an EU council of interior and justice ministers refused to authorize the European Commission to launch negotiations with Turkey that could lead to visa-free travel for Turkish nationals on EU soil. Turkish government said it fulfilled all the obligations for launch of talks on visa issue and demanded fair treatment as with all European Union candidate countries on free movement of Turkish nationals in member countries.
“We expect EU to keep its words,” Davutoglu said. “We cannot tolerate a treatment other than shown to any other countries.”
Davutoglu said he also met Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister & Foreign Minister Steven Vanackere and discussed bilateral relations as well as preparations for the UN Conference on Least Developed Countries to take place in Istanbul in May.
AA