Ankara to urge EU for more dialogue, cooperation

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan will underscore the importance of enhancing institutional dialogue and closer engagement in bilateral and regional issues between Türkiye and the European Union during tomorrow's informal meeting, dubbed Gymnich, in Brussels.

Fidan was invited to the Gymnich meeting by the European Commission's Vice President and High Representative for foreign and security policy, Josep Borrell. It was the first invitation by the EU to a Turkish foreign minister since 2019.

The meeting will take place under the leadership of Borrell and Enlargement Commissioner Oliver Varhelyi with the participation of foreign ministers from 27 member states.

According to Turkish diplomatic sources, the invitation by the EU is a positive development and in line with Ankara's calls for the revival of high-level dialogue between the two sides.

"We hope that this meeting will create a suitable environment for the opening of institutional dialogue channels and reversing the EU Foreign Council's resolutions of July 15, 2019," the sources said.

The EU imposed several measures against Türkiye in 2019 due to the bilateral tension between Ankara and Athens over the eastern Mediterranean.

 Regional challenges will be on agenda

The Turkish sources informed that Fidan and his European colleagues will also evaluate the latest developments in the region, the new realities stemming from these developments and transformation of the international relations.

All these developments, as well as green and digital transformation, require intense and structural cooperation between Ankara and Brussels especially in resolving regional disputes, energy, counterterrorism, security and defense, the sources underlined.

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