Warsaw wants to see Turkey in EU ‘in the near future’: Polish FM
PR dla Zagranicy
Paweł Kononczuk
21.04.2016 11:24
Poland wants to see Turkey joining the European Union “in the near future” and supports the scrapping of EU visas for Turkish citizens, Polish Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski has said during a visit to Ankara.
Witold Waszczykowski and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu in Ankara. Photo: PAP/Paweł Supernak
Waszczykowski said talks on Wednesday with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut Cavusoglu also focused on security.
"Although we are situated on two flanks of NATO that are distant from each other - Poland on the north-east, Turkey to the south-east - on both flanks we have very similar problems, including those provoked by the aggressive behaviour of Russia," Waszczykowski said.
The Polish foreign minister added that his country “supports EU cooperation with Turkey and we would like to see Turkey as a member of the EU in the near future."
Waszczykowski also said he supports visa-free travel between the EU and Turkey.
Under a deal between Brussels and Ankara last month, the European Union is to speed up the transfer of EUR 3 billion for assistance to Syrian refugees in Turkey. It also provides for including Turkish citizens in the visa-free Schengen zone.
On Tuesday, however, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker stressed that Turkey has to fulfil all the conditions that are required for visa-free privileges, adding that none of these will be watered down.
On Monday, Turkey’s foreign minister threatened Brussels with the abandonment of last month’s deal if the EU does not keep its word. (pk)
Source: PAP