Tag: visa-free

Austria blocking visa deal between Turkey, EU

FULYA ÖZERKAN

ANKARA – Hürriyet Daily News

As fears run high over Vienna’s retaliation after Ankara’s veto of candidacy of a former Austrian foreign minister to be the secretary-general of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, or OSCE, it has been learned that Austria is one of the countries blocking Turkey’s visa agreement with the European Union.

“What more can Austria do to complicate Turkey’s EU accession? It is already one of the countries standing in the way of any agreement between Turkey and the EU for visa-free travel,” a source told the Hürriyet Daily News on Tuesday.

Turkey vetoed Austria’s Ursula Plassnik to be OSCE secretary-general citing concerns over her public statements about European identity. The Turkish Foreign Ministry, however, denied any link between its opposition to the Austrian candidate and this action’s negative repercussions on Ankara’s EU negotiations.

“That would demonstrate through which dimension Austria is looking at Turkish-EU relations. Interlinking the two issues is tantamount to comparing apples and oranges,” Foreign Ministry spokesman Selçuk Ünal told the Daily News.

Ünal also dismissed speculation that Ankara and Vienna had reached an accord not to veto each other’s candidates.

“We have opposed the Austrian candidate since the very beginning because of her public statements not reflecting a pan-European vision. Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu verbally made this clear both to his Austrian counterpart during telephone conversations and to the Lithuanian term presidency of the OSCE,” he said.

“Plus, we were not the only country opposing Austria’s candidate,” said Ünal.

It has been learned that the Russians were also against Plassnik and reluctant to see another European as secretary-general of OSCE. Previous secretary-generals of the organization have been from EU member states Germany, Italy, Slovakia and France.

Turkey warned against pushing for Austrian candidate

Turkey warned the Lithuanian presidency not to push for the Austrian candidate, otherwise it would use its right to veto, it has been revealed.

Turkey’s veto of the Austrian candidate also came after the Lithuanian term presidency’s move to send letters to the representatives of OSCE member states in Vienna saying Plassnik would become secretary-general, a development that angered Ankara.

In return, Turkey, which previously made its position clear verbally in compliance with diplomatic courtesy, dispatched a written note objecting to Plassnik on the argument that two other countries, Greek Cyprus and Armenia, used the same route to oppose the Turkish candidate.

“We have never articulated the word veto. But the first written veto came from Armenia and Greek Cyprus against our candidate. And it appeared we could use the same method,” said Ünal.

“We first refrained from using this method out of diplomatic courtesy, but we clearly told Austria and Lithuania that we would not hesitate to do so if they insist on the Austrian candidate,” he said.

Turkey nominated Ersin Erçin, the country’s ambassador to Brazil and the president’s adviser for European security, for the same position. Italy and Portugal also nominated candidates. Decisions at OSCE are made through consensus.

President did not make any promise, says Ankara

Some news reports, meanwhile, claimed President Abdullah Gül promised Austrian Foreign Minister Michael Spindelegger not to oppose the Austrian candidate during a reception given on May 2, before a dinner hosted by Austrian President Heinz Fischer. Ünal told the Daily News that the Turkish president has not made such a promise and instead emphasized the strong support for the Turkish candidate.

via Austria blocking visa deal between Turkey, EU – Hurriyet Daily News and Economic Review.

June 8, 2011
Passport-free regime between Turkey, Georgia to begin on Tuesday

The modernized Sarp border gate will be inaugurated by the three leaders at the ceremony

Citizens of neighboring Georgia and Turkey will be able to travel to each other’s country with only their state identity cards, beginning on May 31.

A ceremony will be held at the Sarp land border gate on the very same day with the participation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Georgia’s President Mikheil Saakashvili and Georgian Prime Minister Nika Gilauri.

The modernized Sarp border gate will be inaugurated by the three leaders at the ceremony. By implementing a passport-free travel regime via the Sarp border gate — through which approximately 2 million people pass in a year — the traffic at the gate will also be eased. It is the main gate between the two neighbors through which almost 90 percent of road transport between the two countries passes.

Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu, delivering a speech in Konya on Thursday where he was campaigning for the upcoming parliamentary elections on June 12, talked about the issue.

“The passport-free era with Georgia will start. That’s to say, with identity cards. We are waiting for them to finish arrangements concerning the Georgian alphabet. Next week, we will finalize this during the prime minister’s eastern Black Sea coast visit Inshallah,” Davutoğlu was quoted as saying by the Anatolia news agency, as he participated in a monthly meeting of the Konya Chamber of Industry.

“Given that the human element is our most important resource, it is necessary to provide movement of the human element with the highest speed and remove any obstacles facing them ,” Davutoğlu added.

During a visit to Tbilisi in February, Davutoğlu spoke about the protection of shared cultural heritage. He said at the time that it would be an important area of cooperation and that historic churches in Turkey are also part of Turkey’s cultural heritage. The foreign minister promised that Turkey would continue necessary restoration on Georgian churches, adding that historical and cultural heritage in Ajaria and its capital, Batumi — where a substantial number of Georgian Muslims live — is also a mutual cultural heritage for both countries.

Immediately following the dissolution of the Soviet Union in 1991, Turkey recognized the independence of Georgia, on Dec. 16, 1991, and on May 21, 1992, the Protocol on the Establishment of Diplomatic Relations between the two countries was signed.

Cihan news agency

May 28, 2011
Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria to create common visa system?

By DINA AL-SHIBEEB

Al Arabiya

Iran's president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) shakes hands with Iraq's prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki during an official meeting in Tehran. (File Photo)

Iran’s president Mahmoud Ahmadinejad (R) shakes hands with Iraq’s prime minister Nouri Al-Maliki during an official meeting in Tehran. (File Photo)

Turkey, Iran, Iraq and Syria are to establish a common visa system, the Russian agency Regnum quoted the Iranian vice-minister of tourism as saying on Tuesday.

The four states are preparing to install a “Schengen-like” regime, Shahbaz Yezdi said, in reference to Europe’s Schengen Zone. Under the system, one visa is issued and travelers can move between 25 of the European Union’s 27 countries without needing a visa for each country. The United Kingdom and Ireland do not subscribe to the Schengen system

Mr. Yezdi also said that the initiative was based on an idea of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey.

“Putting into place uniform visas for the four countries will actively boost the development of tourism,” Mr. Yezdi said.

In 2010, the currently embattled Syrian president Bashar al-Assad proposed a visa-free travel region for Syria, Iran, Turkey and other neighboring countries, and he said that he was the first to advent the issue starting with a visa-free travel between Turkey and Syria.

The fact that former foes Iraq and Iran would share a common system would be quite remarkable, especially in view of their bitter history. Iraq has fought Iran for eight years from 1980 to 1988.

But Iraq has since mended relations with Iran as both now have Shiite-dominated governments.

Just like Iran, Iraq raised its concern over troops from the United Arab Emirates and Saudi Arabia going to Bahrain as unrest by the Shiite-led opposition escalated. Iraq has joined Iran in describing the move as interference and against Bahrain’s sovereignty. But the Gulf countries see the threat against one Gulf country as a threat on all six.

Meanwhile, the six countries belonging to the Gulf Cooperation Council are also inching to cement their bloc. Recently the Gulf States’ economy and finance ministers initially agreed to lift hurdles for GCC nationals to own real estate in other Gulf States and to facilitate flow of capital money with the Gulf region.

GCC nationals now can enter other Gulf States only with an identity card. But unifying the region’s currencies still seems like a distant proposition.

Prior to the current unrest in Yemen, Turkey boosted its trade ties with the Qaeda-beleaguered country and lifted the visa requirement for the Yemeni nationals entering Turkey.

With the AKP conservative party winning election in 2002, it re-shifted Turkey’s foreign policy to look eastward toward the Middle East, but held its promise to help the country join the European Union (EU).

AKP, unlike its secular predecessor, carried more economically-friendly policies and sought to expand the country’s trade including tapping into the Middle East markets.

AKP also promised to democratize Turkey’s current constitution, which was originally drafted by the former military junta in 1980.

(Dina Al-Shibeeb of Al Arabiya can be reached at: [email protected])

via Turkey, Iran, Iraq, Syria to create common visa system?.

April 27, 2011
Ukraine And Turkey Begin Talks On Visa-Free Travel

Ukraine and Turkey have begun talks on visa-free travel.

The press service of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced this in a statement.

The first round of talks took place on April 21 at the level of heads of consular services.

According to the statement, the negotiations are the result of agreements reached between the two countries at the highest level, which resulted in President Viktor Yanukovych instructing the Foreign Ministry, the Ministry of Infrastructure, the Ministry of Internal Affairs, and other law enforcement agencies to ensure their implementation.

Moreover, the agencies were instructed to prepare a draft agreement between the Cabinet of Ministers and the government of Turkey on the conditions for travel between the two countries by citizens, which provide for introduction of reciprocal visa-free entry for citizens of both countries.

The Turkish side has taken note of the draft of the agreement proposed by Ukraine and expressed its readiness to further refine it with the responsible authorities of Turkey in the shortest possible time.

As Ukrainian News earlier reported, Ukraine and Turkey expressed readiness to start negotiations on creation of a free trade area and the introduction of visa-free travel in March.

Turkey has repeatedly stated that it favors introduction of visa-free travel between it and Ukraine.

via Ukranian News – Ukraine And Turkey Begin Talks On Visa-Free Travel.

April 23, 2011
Turkish FM Urges EU To “Take Solid Steps” To Ease Visa Requirements On Turks

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has called on the European Union to move to halt seeking visa from Turkish nationals when visiting EU countries.

“We are expecting solid steps from the EU regarding visa exemption for Turkish nationals,” Davutoglu told reporters in Budapest after meeting with his Hungarian counterpart Janos Martony.

Davutoglu said Turkey also expected Hungary to take a leadership role as the rotating helm of the EU to launch negotiations on visa exemption.

“Turkey is determined to engage in talks on visa exemption in the shortest possible time,” Davutoglu said.

April 12, 2011
West Balkans Become Visa-Free For Turkey

All the West Balkans has become a visa-free region for Turkish visitors as the latest visa exemption agreement signed by Turkey and Serbia came into effect a couple of days ago.

Turkey’s peace-focused policies in the Balkans yield to positive results as countries of the region solve their bilateral problems thanks to Turkey’s mediatory efforts and keep opening their doors to Turkey, a country they describe as a “super power” both in economic and political terms, officials told AA on Wednesday.

Serbia has become the latest country that stopped implementing visa procedures for Turkish citizens, following Bosnia-Herzegovina, Croatia, Montenegro, Macedonia, Albania and Kosovo.

The visa exemption agreement between Turkey and Serbia, which was signed on July 12, 2010 as part of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s visit to this country, has taken effect at border gates 4 days ago, officials said.

Commenting on the agreement’s taking effect, Turkish Ambassador in Belgrade Ali Riza Colak said Serbia had a remarkable potential both in terms of economic opportunities and tourism.

“Lifting of visas with Serbia will provide major advantages especially for our businessmen and citizens who live in European countries and travel to Turkey via land route,” Colak said.

The ambassador noted that Turkish businessmen would be able to pay one-day visits to Serbia and the rest of the region thanks to the latest visa exemption deals.

Colak also said that Serbia had a certain significance for Turks due to its Ottoman history, so the visa exemption agreement would contribute to the country’s tourism as well.

“There is a 500-year-old Ottoman history here. A journey to this region will be like experiencing a history book about the Ottoman empire,” he said.

Speaking to AA, Serbian State Minister Sulejman Ugljanin also stated that mutual lifting of visas by Turkey and Serbia would contribute remarkably to international friendly relations and economic cooperation.

AA

December 9, 2010