ISTANBUL: The head of the Turkish parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee on Friday said he hoped the coming year would bring improvements in Turkish-EU relations.
“Now, again there are efforts to turn a new page in Turkish-EU relations,” Vokan Bozkir told Anadolu Agency, adding that he wants to leave behind unwelcome developments to usher in a better year.
In a recent poll, when Turks were asked if they want Turkey to join the EU, 78.8 percent said Yes, while when asked would the EU make Turkey a member, only 30 percent said Yes, according to Bozkir, adding that these answers reflect both hope and disappointment.
He stated that the most important ingredient for good international relations is common interests, which can make ties good or bad.
“If Turkish-EU relations aren’t completely cut today, if these relations can continue despite the problems we face, this happens through the common interests.”
One of these common interests is the large trade volume, $150 billion, between the union and Turkey, due to the Turkey-EU Customs Union, he added.
