Brussels, 14/01/2011 (Agence Europe) - The EU “lacks vision” on the important role that Turkey could play as a member of the Union especially at the level of common foreign and security policy, Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu states. Speaking to the press in Ankara after a meeting with Catherine Ashton, he also called on the 27 EU member states to lift “the political obstacles” that some member states have set in place in the process for Turkey's membership of the EU. “We expect more determination from the EU. We expect that it keep its promises regarding full membership by Turkey”, Davutoglu said. He went on to add: “We consider it a lack of vision to slow down Turkey's membership process to this extent, when the need is felt for common action by Europe and Turkey in favour of regional and world peace”. The minister also asked that the “political criteria recently set in place for opening negotiation talks be immediately deactivated” and that his country's accession process be managed in what he called a “healthy” manner. The fact that Turkey does not enjoy the same advantages as the Western Balkan states when it comes to visa liberalisation is “discrimination”, according to the Turkish minister. Ashton underlined that Turkey was not simply a candidate country but was also “a very, very important partner in our world affairs”.
Herman Van Rompuy is optimistic. In the meantime, the permanent president of the European Council has said he is optimistic about the chances of moving forward in accession talks. Talks are “difficult and complex, but there is a chance we can make more progress this year”', Herman Van Rompuy said in a speech delivered in London on 13 January (see below). Reform in Turkey has delivered “impressive results”, he asserted. Due to Turkey's considerable clout at both regional and international level, the EU should “develop a close partnership with the Turkish Republic”, he said, “even before an outcome of the negotiations”. (H.B./transl.jl)