EU enlargement chief sees stronger future cooperation with Turkey

The European Union needs to strengthen its political dialogue with Turkey, as the candidate country's foreign policy is very quickly expanding, said EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule on Thursday. "We have been proceeding with the accession negotiations for some time, but what is lacking there, particularly with regard to the growing importance of Turkey in the region, is the strengthened political dialogue with that country, in parallel to the accession process," Fule told Internet news portal EurActiv. "If you look at Turkish foreign policy, it is expanding even faster than Turkish Airlines (THY) is expanding its global network. I think it would be in the common benefit and in our interest to find a way of interacting in such a way, so as not to create additional questions but to find answers to the common challenges. It is an opportunity which needs to be seized." He added, "Turkey's policy of 'zero problems' with its neighbors should be strengthened by 'zero doubt' about the European Union's determination as far as the accession process is concerned, and 'zero hesitation' in Turkey about its reform process, because this is indeed the real engine of the accession process. The fourth element is very relevant in respect to recent events in Turkey – it is 'zero tolerance' on terrorism. And I see the possibility for more intensive cooperation between the EU and Turkey."