Ireland's foreign minister due in Turkey on Jan. 27

ANKARA

Ireland’s foreign affairs and defense minister will arrive in Turkey for a two-day visit on Wednesday, Turkey’s Foreign Ministry announced.

Simon Coveney will visit the capital Ankara and the southern Hatay province, the ministry said in a statement on Tuesday.

He will hold talks with Turkey’s Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu and also “observe the cross-border humanitarian aid to civilians in Syria.”

“During the talks between the two Foreign Ministers, bilateral relations between Turkey and Ireland, issues regarding the EU and Turkey’s EU accession process will be discussed and an exchange of ideas on current regional and international issues within the context of Ireland’s non-permanent UNSC membership will take place,” read the statement.

After a year of ups and downs, Turkish leaders have said they are hopeful for progress in relations with the EU this year and expect the bloc to take steps towards this end.

Turkey has been an official candidate for EU membership since 2005, but progress towards its accession has been stalled for years.