On Thursday 20 July, the European foreign affairs ministers expressed their conviction that there was a mutual interest in developing a stronger relationship between the EU and Turkey, subject to certain conditions.
“We are convinced that there is a reciprocal interest to develop a stronger relationship between Turkey and the European Union”, explained the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, at the end of the ‘Foreign Affairs’ Council.
However, he qualified his remarks by saying that a lasting peace in the eastern Mediterranean would be beneficial for the stability and security of the whole region, and that the resolution of the Cyprus question in accordance with the relevant UN resolution would be an essential element of the new engagement with Turkey, as would Ankara’s respect for fundamental freedoms and the values set out in the European Convention on Human Rights.
“We agree that the European Union needs to engage with Turkey and build on common interest, trying to bridge the existing differences. So the EU Council tasked me to try to implement this objective”, added Mr Borrell, without giving details of the method he will use.
Earlier in the day, the Romanian minister, Luminita Odobescu, reiterated that Turkey remained a “key partner for the EU in many strategic areas”, stating her country’s support for a “strong” EU-Turkey relationship. She stressed the need for a “balanced, principled and constructive approach by the EU towards Ankara, as well as a lasting and constructive engagement by Turkey”.
For Germany’s Annalena Baerbock, “it’s time to think strategically”. “We’re not naive, it’s clear that reforms are needed [in Turkey, ed.], but in these difficult times, we want to work with this important partner, even if it’s not always easy”, she explained.
For the Cypriot minister, Constantinos Kombos, the Turkish assessment can only be benchmarked, merit-based, graduated, proportionate and subject to established conditionality, as previously decided by the European Council. He also highlighted the Cyprus question, hoping for a rapid resumption of substantive negotiations leading to a solution to the Cyprus problem.
While an improvement in relations therefore seems possible under certain conditions, the resumption of accession negotiations still seems a long way off. “Instead of this illusion of accession talks that have been dead for years and are not working, we need Turkey, Turkey needs us, and that would be the purpose of a functional, sensible and pragmatic neighbourhood policy on security, migration, the economy and customs union”, said Austrian Alexander Schallenberg.
The discussion was held on the anniversary of the Turkish invasion of Cyprus on 20 July 1974. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant with Léa Marchal)