At Istanbul meeting with EU officials, Turkey to push for opening of blocked chapters

Turkey is reportedly planning to give critical messages to European Union officials at a meeting between the two in Istanbul next week. At the meeting, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Egemen Bagis, state minister and Turkey's chief EU talks negotiator, will represent Turkey, while EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton and EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Fule will represent the Union. The Turkish side reportedly plans to again protest how 18 chapters in the accession process are being stalled for political reasons, calling the situation untenable. Turkish officials will also call on the EU to keep the commitments it made to Turkey as a candidate country. Other subjects set to be addressed include setting up visa exemptions for Turkish visitors to the EU as well as Ankara's expectations that PKK terrorists will be extradited and that an EU-based PKK mouthpiece TV channel will be shut down.