Turkey urges European Union to lift political hurdles in accession talks

"Unfortunately, nearly half of the policy chapters are not being advanced due to an artificial link to Cyprus and due to domestic political concerns in some countries," Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said at the opening of a high-level meeting in Ankara to discuss Turkey's roadmap towards EU membership.

 

Although Turkey began EU membership talks in October 2005, it has so far opened discussions on only 10 of the 35 policy areas that candidates must successfully negotiate. One of the main stumbling blocks has been a trade row over Cyprus and opposition from some bloc members.

 

Eight chapters in the negotiations were suspended due to Turkey's refusal to open its ports to Greek Cypriot vessels before the EU eases its isolation on the Turkish community on the island.Â

 

"What Turkey achieved in the past few years enables us to understand how swiftly it could conduct the negotiation process should the political problems be removed," he added.

 

Babacan, flanked by Turkey's new chief EU negotiator Egemen Bagis, said that the European Commission had declared Turkey ready to open talks in six more chapters and urged the bloc to act on it.

 

"Turkey's target in this process is full membership," he said, pledging that Ankara would undertake fresh reforms to align itself with EU norms.

 

He said Turkey's EU membership process was continuing without interruption, adding the country's new National Program, which was prepared within the scope of the EU accession process, was issued in Official Gazette on December 31, 2008.

 

He also said reforms made by Turkey were not concessions given to the EU, adding those reforms would increase the standards of Turkish people.

 

Bagis told at the meeting that the government had fulfilled many important activities regarding the EU process in the last seven years, adding the biggest investment was made to Turkish democracy.

 

Bagis also said he would meet with the EU ambassadors in Ankara on January 27.