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TURKISH FM DAVUTOGLU REVIEWS YEAR WITH EU AMBASSADORS
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Dec 20 2013
20 December 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, ANKARA
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu spoke with the ambassadors of several
European Union countries at a lunch hosted by the Embassy of Lithuania,
which currently holds the EU presidency, in Ankara on Friday.
According to diplomatic sources who wished to remain anonymous, the
meeting was not related to the current corruption probe in Turkey as
its date had been planned far in advance.
"The foreign minister explained that this meeting, which is held
every six months, was well timed as it gave an opportunity to evaluate
the year and discuss next year, which will be an important year for
Turkey-EU relations," the sources said.
During a speech to the ambassadors, Davutoglu touched upon five main
topics: Turkey's EU accession process, Turkey-EU visa dialogue, the
Cyprus dispute, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(TTIP) and Turkey-EU strategic dialogue.
Expressing satisfaction about the opening of Chapter 22 of the EU
accession negotiations, Davutoglu noted that he was looking forward to
the opening of many chapters, especially 23 and 24, on which Turkey
has received much criticism from the EU. These chapters, which deal
with fundamental rights and freedoms, were blocked unilaterally by
the Greek Cypriots in 2009.
Davutoglu also spoke about the Turkey-EU "visa liberation dialogue,"
which will enable Turkish citizens to travel to EU countries without
visas in around three years' time, saying that it was a historic
development and adding that Turkey is determined to finalize the EU
accession process as soon as possible.
On the Cyprus issue, Davutoglu briefed the EU ambassadors on Turkey's
efforts and those of the Turkish Cypriots, explaining that the Greek
Cypriot side had not had the necessary will to resolve the dispute
in the island until recently.
Diplomatic efforts to bring the two Cypriot sides back to the
negotiating table and resolve the nearly four-decade-old problem
have been accelerating in recent times. For the last three months,
Turkish and Greek Cypriots have been discussing a joint statement --
a communiqué without which the Greek side will not negotiate with
the Turkish side.
However, Davutoglu noted that the Turkish side's constructive attitude
regarding the joint statement has not been met with an equal response
from the Greek Cypriots.
Stating that US-EU negotiations on a TTIP are important for Turkey,
Davutoglu noted that Turkey cannot be excluded from the talks as the
country has a custom union with the EU. Davutoglu also explained that
Turkey has been in contact with the EU and the US on the issue.
Davutoglu also briefed the ambassadors on his recent visit to Armenia,
which was the first high-level visit from Turkey to Yerevan in five
years. The foreign minister spoke about Turkey's stance for peace
and stability in the Caucasus, adding that Turkey would strengthen
its efforts for a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-334563-turkish-fm-davutoglu-reviews-year-with-eu-ambassadors.html
From: A. Papazian
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Dec 20 2013
20 December 2013 /TODAY'S ZAMAN, ANKARA
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu spoke with the ambassadors of several
European Union countries at a lunch hosted by the Embassy of Lithuania,
which currently holds the EU presidency, in Ankara on Friday.
According to diplomatic sources who wished to remain anonymous, the
meeting was not related to the current corruption probe in Turkey as
its date had been planned far in advance.
"The foreign minister explained that this meeting, which is held
every six months, was well timed as it gave an opportunity to evaluate
the year and discuss next year, which will be an important year for
Turkey-EU relations," the sources said.
During a speech to the ambassadors, Davutoglu touched upon five main
topics: Turkey's EU accession process, Turkey-EU visa dialogue, the
Cyprus dispute, the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership
(TTIP) and Turkey-EU strategic dialogue.
Expressing satisfaction about the opening of Chapter 22 of the EU
accession negotiations, Davutoglu noted that he was looking forward to
the opening of many chapters, especially 23 and 24, on which Turkey
has received much criticism from the EU. These chapters, which deal
with fundamental rights and freedoms, were blocked unilaterally by
the Greek Cypriots in 2009.
Davutoglu also spoke about the Turkey-EU "visa liberation dialogue,"
which will enable Turkish citizens to travel to EU countries without
visas in around three years' time, saying that it was a historic
development and adding that Turkey is determined to finalize the EU
accession process as soon as possible.
On the Cyprus issue, Davutoglu briefed the EU ambassadors on Turkey's
efforts and those of the Turkish Cypriots, explaining that the Greek
Cypriot side had not had the necessary will to resolve the dispute
in the island until recently.
Diplomatic efforts to bring the two Cypriot sides back to the
negotiating table and resolve the nearly four-decade-old problem
have been accelerating in recent times. For the last three months,
Turkish and Greek Cypriots have been discussing a joint statement --
a communiqué without which the Greek side will not negotiate with
the Turkish side.
However, Davutoglu noted that the Turkish side's constructive attitude
regarding the joint statement has not been met with an equal response
from the Greek Cypriots.
Stating that US-EU negotiations on a TTIP are important for Turkey,
Davutoglu noted that Turkey cannot be excluded from the talks as the
country has a custom union with the EU. Davutoglu also explained that
Turkey has been in contact with the EU and the US on the issue.
Davutoglu also briefed the ambassadors on his recent visit to Armenia,
which was the first high-level visit from Turkey to Yerevan in five
years. The foreign minister spoke about Turkey's stance for peace
and stability in the Caucasus, adding that Turkey would strengthen
its efforts for a solution to the Nagorno-Karabakh dispute between
Azerbaijan and Armenia.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-334563-turkish-fm-davutoglu-reviews-year-with-eu-ambassadors.html
From: A. Papazian