Turkish Foreign Minister Advocates for Revitalized Türkiye-EU Relations
Brussels, The Gulf Observer: Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan has called for a positive approach by the European Union (EU) towards reviving Türkiye-EU relations, stressing that this effort should not be linked to the longstanding Cyprus issue. Speaking to media after participating in the EU’s informal foreign ministers’ meeting on Thursday, Fidan emphasized the importance of a constructive dialogue that benefits all parties involved.
“We believe that reviving Türkiye-EU relations is in everyone’s interest. However, we emphasized that establishing a link between the Cyprus issue and Türkiye-EU relations is not a healthy method and will not yield any results,” Fidan stated.
The meeting, held at the EU Council headquarters in Brussels, lasted approximately two hours. Fidan underscored that EU membership remains a strategic goal for Türkiye and expressed hope that the EU would adopt a similarly positive approach to advance the relationship. “If the EU also adopts a similar positive approach, this will be in everyone’s interest,” he added.
Türkiye’s EU membership negotiations, which began in 2005, have been stalled since 2007 due to the Cyprus dispute and political opposition from several EU member states. The island of Cyprus has been divided for decades between Greek Cypriots and Turkish Cypriots, despite numerous diplomatic efforts to reach a comprehensive settlement.
Fidan described the invitation to the Brussels meeting as a “positive development” for rekindling ties with the EU, noting that Türkiye had not been invited to such meetings for some time. He highlighted the broad consensus among his EU counterparts on the need for ongoing, structured dialogue with Türkiye across various areas, particularly in foreign, security, and defense policies.
EU officials acknowledged Türkiye’s significant role in addressing regional conflicts, including the Russia-Ukraine war, the situation in Gaza, and tensions in Syria, Iraq, the Middle East, Africa, and the South Caucasus. They emphasized the importance of closer cooperation between Türkiye and the EU in shaping common policies.
Fidan also called for concrete steps to be taken on technical issues to gain momentum in Türkiye-EU relations. “First of all, the established dialogue mechanisms that were suspended in 2019 need to be reactivated. Our expectations regarding the updating of the Customs Union continue,” he said.
Among the priorities highlighted by Fidan was visa liberalization for Turkish citizens. He noted that Türkiye had met 66 of the 72 criteria required for the Schengen visa liberalization process and was working to fulfill the remaining six. “Until visa liberalization is achieved, we continue to work to eliminate the difficulties and obstacles our citizens experience during the Schengen visa application process,” he added.
The Visa Liberalization Dialogue aims to allow Turkish citizens with biometric passports to travel to the Schengen Area without a visa for short stays. This process, once finalized, will enable Turkish citizens to travel freely within most EU member states for business, family visits, or tourism.
Fidan’s remarks highlight Türkiye’s continued commitment to its European integration goals and the desire to overcome longstanding challenges in its relationship with the EU.
