Turkish FM to meet EU officials in Brussels

ANKARA - Hürriyet Daily News

European Commissioner Füle will meet with Davutoğlu in Brussels. AA photo

Almost one month after the European Commission released its tough “progress report” on Turkey, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu will travel to Brussels Nov. 7 for talks with leading EU officials.

During the visit, Davutoğlu will meet the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, as well as the European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Füle, the Foreign Ministry announced in a written statement on Nov. 6.

In its report released Oct. 10, the EU’s executive body expressed serious concerns about Turkey’s progress in meeting the political criteria for full membership in the bloc, paying significant attention to freedom of expression, assembly and association, lengthy prosecution and detention periods and the failure to find a political solution to the Kurdish issue.

While in Brussels, Davutoğlu will also meet the members of the Friends of Turkey Group in the European Parliament.

“At these meetings, all aspects of Turkey-EU relations, including the accession process, will be discussed and an exchange of views on international and regional issues will take place,” the statement said, adding that Davutoğlu will also open a photo exhibition entitled “Time in Turkey” and participate in a panel on “EU and Turkey: Facing the challenges of the Arab Spring,” alongside Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Co-Chairman of the Greens in the European Parliament.

Davutoğlu will also meet Belgium’s Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Didier Reynders, for a discussion on Turkish-Belgian bilateral relations and regional issues, according to the ministry’s statement.