Turkey says new French govt to remove blockade on EU negotiations

Turkey's EU Minister & Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis said on February 12 that the chapter heading on regional policies in Turkey's EU membership process would be opened to negotiations during Ireland's EU presidency.

Meeting members of the Parliamentary EU Enlargement Group in London, Bagis said that another good news was that the new French government would remove blockade on Turkey's EU negotiations.

Regarding the trade between Turkey and EU-member states, Bagis said that EU countries constituted nearly 45 percent of Turkey's foreign trade.

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu also said that France formally conveyed that it decided to change its stance about Turkey's EU membership talks.

Earlier in the day, French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius said that they would assist Turkey in opening of chapter 22, titled «Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments», to negotiations in the country's accession talks.

France has been blocking Turkey's starting talks on five chapters with the EU.

During a joint press conference with Kuwaiti Deputy Premier Sabah al-Ahmad al-Jabir al-Sabah in Ankara on Tuesday, Davutoglu said that it was one chapter for the beginning, but France expressed that it had the political will to lift obstacles before Turkish-EU relations from now on.

«France will extend support to Turkey's EU membership negotiations. We have told Turkish officials that we will assist them in opening chapter 22 to negotiations. We also had a chance to speak on technical issues. We have reached a consensus on consolidation of friendly relations with Turkey,»Fabius told reporters following his meeting with Davutoglu.

Adapted from Worldbulletin