Turkey, EU officials meet to improve ties

ANKARA — After a nearly three-year-long freeze, the Turkish government on Wednesday met with ministers of the EU Reform Action Group to step up its agenda to rewarm ties with the neighboring block.

“In the upcoming process, all our institutions and the EU directorate of Foreign Ministry will focus on the negotiation chapters on judiciary, fundamental rights, freedom and security,” Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said at a news conference after meeting justice, interior and economy ministers who forms the EU reform action group.

They agreed to “accelerate political reform process” at the meeting, he said, noting that Ankara will also enhance cooperation with the Council of Europe in the upcoming period.

Turkey will continue to work on remaining six bench marks required in order to launch visa liberalization process, which envisages visafree travel for Turkish citizens, he stated.

The minister noted that Turkey wants to see steps from the EU as well, such as launching visa waivers for Turks and upgrading the Customs Union agreement.

The Turkish government will increase confidence in the judiciary and speed up processes, Minister of Justice Abdulhamit Gul said at the news conference.

Economic threats toward Turkey and statements of the United States that effect the economic system have become a good opportunity for Turkey and the EU to understand the value of each other, said a statement after the action group’s meeting.

The last meeting of the EU reform action group, which assesses requirements to meet EU criteria, was held in November 2015. However, Turkey and the EU have achieved almost no progress in the accession process of Ankara.

The EU has long been increasingly critical fn what it says is a worsening human rights record in Turkey.

Turkey’s accession process to the block has been officially suspended, with European Council decisions stipulating no chapters to be opened.

A state of emergency declared in the aftermath of the coup attempt on July 15, 2016, caused ties between the EU and Turkey deteriorated as Brussels criticized the Turkish government’s post-coup measures as antidemocratic.

Despite diplomatic rhetoric in the past few years, economic relations have remained strong and the EU is still Turkey’s top trading partner, accounting for 36.4 percent of the country’s imports and 47.1 percent of exports in 2017, according to EU figures.

Early this month, the Turkish economy was hit by the decreasing value of the lira and Turkish leaders accused the US of staging an economic war against the country over sanctions against two lawmakers and increased tariffs on imports such as steel and aluminum.

“I have for a while been seeing Ankara’s effort to take advantage of the new situation with the EU. Turkish authorities want to restart the reform process and revive the harmonization process with the EU,” said Abdulkadir Selvi, a columnist known for having insights from the government.

Turkish authorities want to restart the reform process and revive the harmonization process with the EU.” Abdulkadir Selvi, columnist