Turkey says opening chapters vital for ties with EU ahead of key meeting in Brussels

Opening negotiation chapters is vital to revive ties between Turkey and the European Union, Turkey's EU Minister Ömer Çelik has said just a day before a Turkey-EU political dialogue meeting is set to take place in Brussels following months-long tension between the two sides.

"The opening of new negotiation chapters is crucial for the revival of Turkey-EU relations," Çelik told AB Haber website ahead of a political directors meeting to be held on July 25. 

"In particular, the 23rd chapter, "Judiciary and Fundamental Rights," and the 24th chapter, "Justice, Freedom and Security," which are critical in terms of the negotiation process, need to be opened as soon as possible," he said. 

"These chapters are chapters that are unilaterally blocked by Greek Cypriots. Taking into account what happened in the latest negotiations for Cyprus, I think the EU should open these chapters by putting pressure on the Greek Cypriots," Çelik said. 

Recalling that Greek Cypriots rejected a peace plan in 2004, the minister said, "The time has come for the EU to correct its mistake that it has made by accepting Greek Cypriots as a member," he noted. 

Turkey will be represented by Çelik and Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu at the political dialogue meeting, which EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn will also attend. 

"We will discuss with EU officials what we will do next," Çelik said, stressing that it was crucial to overcome existing problems between the union and Turkey and to be more "empathic and more discreet" about moving the relations forward.

"By acting in this consciousness, we want to continue the dialogue processes with the EU at all levels and actively participate...