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Negotiations on visa-free regime between Turkey, EU not to end soon – expert

Türkiye Materials 17 May 2016 20:29 (UTC +04:00)
Negotiations on visa-free regime between Turkey and the European Union won’t end soon
Negotiations on visa-free regime between Turkey, EU not to end soon – expert

Baku, Azerbaijan, May 17

By Anakhanum Idayatova - Trend:

Negotiations on visa-free regime between Turkey and the European Union won't end soon, Salih Dogan, research fellow at the Turkey-based Turgut Ozal University, told Trend May 17.

He said that Turkey must fulfill another five conditions of the EU so that Europe would open its doors to Turkish citizens.

"However, even if Turkey fulfills these conditions, there is no guarantee that the European Commission and the European Parliament will approve it, the issue will be considered again," the expert said. "Of course, this creates some tension in relations of the sides."

He added that internal political processes in Turkey also have a negative impact on the negotiations, but not everything is in the hands of Turkey.
"It's not worth expecting the introduction of a visa-free regime between the EU and Turkey, at least in 2016," said Dogan.

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.

Turkey's Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said that a full membership in the EU continues to remain a priority for Turkey.

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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