European Commissioner for Enlargement and European Neighborhood Policy Stefan Fule will make an official visit to Turkey on March 15-16, for talks on the main issues of Turkish-EU cooperation, reports Trend news agency with reference to an EU statement.
"I am sure that eventually, Turkey will become an updated, modern and reformed country whose membership of the EU will be in the interest of both sides," Fule said before leaving.
Fule’s visit to Turkey is the first since he was appointed several months ago.
During the visit, the commissioner will meet with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu, Minister for EU Affairs Egemenom Bakhish and Deputy Prime Minister Ali Babajan.
While in Ankara, Fule will also attend a meeting of the Committee of the Great National Assembly, which is chaired by Yasar Yakis.
In Istanbul, the European commissioner is scheduled to meet with the Greek Orthodox patriarch.
Turkey has had the status of a candidate country for accession to the EU since 1999, and has been conducting formal accession talks since 2005.
Turkey has been participating in key European institutions since 1949, when it became a member of the Council of Europe (the first pan-European organization for the protection of European values), and it joined NATO in 1952.
EU enlargement commissioner to visit Turkey
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