Azerbaijan, Baku, Aug. 14 / Trend S. Ahmadova /
Turkey is a candidate country and a key partner for the European Union, with a dynamic economy and strategic location, spokesperson of EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Catherine Ashton, Maja Kocijancic told Trend.
She noted that as a candidate country, Turkey must share the values and objectives of the European Union as set out in the Treaties. "In its conclusions of 11 December 2012 the Council reaffirmed the importance it attaches to EU relations with Turkey," the spokesperson said.
According to Kocijancic, the Council has stated that "active and credible accession negotiations which respect the EU's commitments and established conditionality, along with all the other dimensions of the EU-Turkey relationship addressed in these conclusions, will enable the EU-Turkey relationship to achieve its full potential.
"It is in the interest of both parties that accession negotiations regain momentum soon, ensuring that the EU remains the benchmark for reforms in Turkey," she noted
Turkey will be able to accelerate the pace of negotiations by advancing in the fulfilment of benchmarks, meeting the requirements of the Negotiating Framework and by respecting its contractual obligations towards the EU, Kocijancic said.