EU membership among top priorities of 'new' Turkish govt

ANKARA

Full EU membership will be one of the most important priorities of the new Turkish government, Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu has said.

The Turkish premier's comments came during a meeting with the first vice-president of the European Commission, Frans Timmermans in the Turkish capital Ankara, according to prime ministry sources on Wednesday.

"Being a full EU member is one of the most important priorities of the new government. We expect the EU to take the necessary steps in this regard through opening new negotiation chapters," Davutoglu said.

Davutoglu's Justice and Development (AK) Party garnered 49% of the votes in the early general election on Nov. 1, and the process to establish a new government will begin Thursday following the announcement of the official results.

Noting that it was not "possible" to understand why multiple chapters that would benefit both sides including energy, monetary policy, and justice have yet to be opened, Davutoglu said that Turkey was ready to "make an all-out effort" to achieve progress in its accession bid.

Timmermans noted progress made in negotiations over visa liberalization and readmission, saying that EU members had a common understanding to further relations with Turkey, adding that this opportunity should not be missed.

Ankara applied for EU membership in 1987 and accession talks began in 2005. However, Turkey has since then seen very little progress amid opposition to its membership in some EU countries, including France.