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Turkish FM sees positive steps in ties with EU

27 March 2018 22:47 (UTC +04:00)

Positive steps are expected in Turkey’s ties with the European Union, said the Turkish foreign minister on Tuesday, APA reports quoting AA.

“We will see concrete steps. We are here to take concrete steps too," said Mevlut Cavusoglu in Tashkent, Uzbekistan, attending a conference on neighboring Afghanistan.

Cavusoglu told reporters that the EU’s role on the ground will not be as effective without Turkey, reflecting on the Turkish-EU summit held in Varna, Bulgaria Monday, describing talks at the meeting as “frank.”

He also stressed that the EU will benefit more from closer ties with Turkey.

Topics discussed in Varna included Turkey’s Operation Olive Branch in Afrin, Syria, Jerusalem, Cyprus, and the migrant issue, said Cavusoglu.

He also underlined that President Recep Tayyip Erdogan clearly laid out Turkey’s expectations from the EU.

“We need to go forward on the basis of mutual respect,” he said.

Cavusoglu said most EU member states want Turkey to join the union and see its potential role in the bloc.

Monday’s summit might be a turning point, he added.