EU summit conclusions on Turkey released

The section concerning relations with Turkey from the conclusions of the ongoing EU summit in Brussels has been released.

The statement declared, "The EU has a strategic interest in a stable and secure environment in the Eastern Mediterranean and in the development of a cooperative and mutually beneficial relationship with Turkey."

The statement announced that work on the recommendations included in the joint report presented by EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell and the European Commission in November 2023 should be advanced. It further stated that the Committee of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) has been instructed to move these forward in a "phased, proportionate, and reversible" manner, subject to additional guidance from the EU Council as necessary.

The statement assessed that "Turkey's own constructive engagement will be instrumental in advancing the various areas of cooperation identified in the report."

EMPHASIS ON CYPRUS

The statement also noted that the EU "attaches great importance to the resumption and progress of Cyprus negotiations, which could also enhance EU-Turkey cooperation."

Emphasizing the EU's commitment to the United Nations (UN)-led process for resolving the issue, the statement declared, "The EU is ready to play an active role in supporting all stages of the UN-led process, with all appropriate means at its disposal."

During the foreign relations session of the summit, the recommendations from the report prepared by Borrell and the European Commission, which was presented in November 2023, were discussed in relation to Turkey.

The report included proposals such as "the reactivation of the EU-Turkey High-Level Dialogues on Economy, Energy, and Transport, which were suspended in 2019, provided that Turkey continues to refrain from all illegal drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean and all other actions that do not respect sovereignty and sovereign rights; in the same vein, the resumption of Association Council and High-Level Political Dialogue meetings at the ministerial level; and increasing the number of sectoral High-Level dialogues on climate, health, migration and security, agriculture, and research and innovation."

News Source: AA