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EU losing Turkey’s trust, says FM

Türkiye Materials 24 May 2016 15:14 (UTC +04:00)
The European Union is losing Turkey’s trust by using double standards against the country.
EU losing Turkey’s trust, says FM

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 24

By Rufiz Hafizoglu - Trend:

The European Union is losing Turkey's trust by using double standards against the country, the TRT Haber news channel quoted Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu as saying May 24.

He noted that Turkey has fulfilled 69 out of 72 commitments for achieving a visa-free regime with the EU.

"If the EU doesn't fulfill its commitments to Turkey, Ankara will refuse from fulfilling its obligations," said Cavusoglu.

The foreign minister believes that the EU should be sincere towards Turkey.

On May 4, the European Commission proposed the EU to cancel the visa regime with Turkey. Turkey cancelled the visa regime for the citizens of all the 28 EU countries on May 3, but the visa-free travel will be possible after the EU cancels the visa regime for Turkish citizens.

After cancellation of the visa regime, Turkish citizens will be able to stay without a visa for three months in Germany, Austria, Belgium, the Czech Republic, Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, the Netherlands, Italy, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Iceland, Lithuania, Latvia, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Hungary, Malta, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Slovakia, Slovenia and Greece.

Earlier, President of the European Commission Jean-Claude Juncker said the EU may introduce a visa-free regime with Turkey in the autumn 2016 if Ankara implements all the necessary requirements.

An association agreement between the EU and Turkey was signed in 1963. Ankara filed an application for the EU membership in 1987, but the negotiations on Ankara's accession to the EU started only in 2005.

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Follow the author on Twitter: @rhafizoglu

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