Poland hopes to speed up Turkey's plans to join the European Union when Warsaw takes the helm of the bloc's rotating presidency in July, Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski said Monday during a visit from his Turkish counterpart, DPA reported.
"Poland unchangingly supports Turkey's aspirations to join the EU," Komorowski said, adding that Poland could also help convince others that including Turkey would benefit the EU as a whole.
Turkey began negotiating towards EU membership in 2005, but France and Germany have said the country should never be allowed to join and should instead be given a "privileged partnership."
Gul said he hoped the meeting with Komorowski would add a "new tempo" to talks on Turkey's EU membership during Poland's EU presidency, which Warsaw will hold for six months starting July 1.
"We hope important issues will be discussed and new chapters will be opened during the presidency," Gul said.
Gul also thanked the Polish public for its support, saying that some 80 per cent of Poles support Istanbul's bid to join the bloc, according to surveys.
Gul was to lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown soldier and meet with Prime Minister Donald Tusk during his two-day visit to Poland. He was also to give a lecture Friday evening on Turkey's vision of Europe's future.
Besides the lack of support from Berlin and Paris, there are other stumbling blocks to Turkey's EU membership.
The EU in 2006 suspended negotiations on eight accession chapters over Turkey's refusal to open its ports to shipping from then EU newcomer Cyprus. Turkey does not recognize Cyprus.
Poland hopes to speed up Turkey's bid to join EU
Poland hopes to speed up Turkey's plans to join the European Union when Warsaw takes the helm of the bloc's rotating presidency in July, Polish President Bronislaw Komorowski said Monday during a visit from his Turkish counterpart.
