EU opens new chapter in Turkey's accession negotiations

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said Monday the European Union (EU) has gotten close to a stage of strategic decision, Anadolu reported.

The EU will either not permit one sided declarations and approaches by seeing Turkey's pluses or sacrifice strategic pluses to political concerns, Davutoglu stressed.

Speaking in a press conference after an intergovernmental conference in which the chapter heading of environment was opened as part of Turkey's EU accession negotiations on Monday, Davutoglu displayed fierce reaction to a statement made by the Greek Cypriot administration that they would block the opening of six chapters in Turkey's accession negotiations.

"We have been disappointed with a declaration made by a member state (Greek Cypriot administration) to block the opening of certain chapters with an unilateral act. Turkey is concerned by such one-sided obstacles", - Davutoglu stressed.

From now on, both Turkey and the EU will continue cooperation in many strategic issues. Hopefully, Turkey's membership will take place before a long time passes, Davutoglu noted.

Turkey will continue to support the solution process in Cyprus in line with United Nations perimeters. We want to see eastern Mediterranean reach stability and peace and hope that extraordinary efforts made by the Turkish Cypriots facilitate such stability and peace, Davutoglu said.

Turkish State Minister and Chief Negotiator for EU talks, Egemen Bagis, in his part, said that Turkey's EU accession negotiations carry a win-win perspective.

At a time when global leaders could not reach a common understanding at the UN conference on climate in Copenhagen, Turkey's convincing of 26 government institutions and 27 EU members to open negotiations on environment is a miracle, Bagis said.

Turkey wishes to join the EU as an "equal member" and must complete accession negotiations with success, Bagis also said.

Turkish Minister of Environment and Forestry, Veysel Eroglu, said that Turkey made crucial reforms in order to open the chapter on environment to negotiations with the EU.

Turkey has gone a long way especially in fighting against air pollution, Eroglu stressed.

Turkey has taken important steps in collecting waste, preservation of water reservoirs and cleanliness of sea water, Eroglu also said.