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EU calls for more chapters in accession talks with Turkey

09 November 2013 02:50 (UTC +04:00)

Baku-APA. More chapters are needed to be opened in negotiations for Turkey's accession to the EU after more than three years of halt, visiting Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule said here Friday, APA reports quoting Xinhua.

"There's momentum now created with the opening of Chapter 22. We have to strengthen this and maintain it so that accession talks get back on track and stay there for the benefit of us all. We need more engagement with Turkey not less," said Fule, adding though that Turkey should continue its reforms to be accepted by the 28-member bloc.

Fule's visit came after the EU and Turkey opened Chapter 22 of the accession talks on Tuesday, which ended a three-year freeze mainly due to Turkey's long-standing dispute with Cyprus.

Turkey's accession negotiations with the EU began in 2005, 18 years after its first application. Yet, negotiations have been slow primarily due to the opposition from member states like France, Germany and Cyprus.

Chapter 22, Regional Policies, is the 14th chapter that the EU opened with Turkey since they began the membership talks in 2005. Among the 14 chapters, only the one on science and research has been completed.