25/01/2018 (Agence Europe) – During the visit of Turkey's European Affairs Minister Ömer Çelik to Brussels on Thursday 25 January, the European External Action Service said that the EU was still ready to hold discussions with Turkey. "The European Union's commitment to open and direct channels of communication with Turkey – a candidate country and key partner – was, once again, reconfirmed" at Çelik's meeting with High Representative of the EU for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini. "Different high level political dialogues, including on foreign policy and sectoral cooperation" will take place, the EEAS stated in a press release. Mogherini and Çelik discussed EU-Turkey relations and the latest developments in the region, notably the conflict in Syria and the Turkish military operation in Afrin. Çelik also talked to European Commission Vice-President Frans Timmermans. (CG)