Turkey, EU launch Chapter 17 in accession talks

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey and the EU have opened another avenue of negotiations regarding Turkey's accession into the bloc. Turkey's long-stalled EU ambitions have been boosted by Europe's desperation on issues like refugees, Deutsche Welle reports.

"The opening of Chapter 17 is part of the re-energizing of Turkey's accession process as agreed at the EU-Turkey summit in November," Luxembourg's Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said in a press conference on Monday, December 14. Luxembourg currently holds the EU's rotating presidency.

Chapter 17 focuses on economic and monetary policy, with bolstering the independence of Turkey's central bank a pre-condition to Monday's move. Turkey's EU delegation tweeted this message:

“Positive momentum in Turkey-EU relations continues with the opening of Chapter 17.”

"It is a good day for a peaceful development in our neighborhood … Turkey has a vast interest in working together with us," the EU's enlargement commissioner Johannes Hahn said.

"I think we all realize better now that close and positive Turkish-EU relations is essential ... for the region as a whole," Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said.

Disagreements over Turkey's rights' record, its democratic credentials, and especially its troubled ties with EU-member Cyprus are among the major impediments to EU accession. Ankara has not opened its ports and airports to Cyprus, which is divided between Turkish and Greek Cypriots. Only Ankara recognizes Turkish northern Cyprus internationally.

Owing to Cyprus, the EU decided in 2006 to suspend negotiations with Ankara on eight of the 35 chapters, including key themes like the free movement of goods, freedom to provide services, customs and external relations.