European enlargement commissioner says union aims to speed up accession talks with Turkey

BRUSSELS (A.A) - The European commissioner for enlargement said on Tuesday that the European Union (EU) aimed to speed up accession negotiations with Turkey. Stefan Fule said that the union wanted to eliminate disappointments with Turkey with a positive agenda. Also, the union aimed to speed up membership talks with Turkey, Fule said during the 67th Turkey-EU Joint Parliament Committee meeting in Brussels, Belgium. Fule said Turkish citizens were saying that they deserved visa exemption from the EU, but said that it was important to work actively to achieve what someone deserved. The commissioner said that Turkey could sign re-admission agreement and assume a more demanding attitude toward visa dialogue proposed by the EU. Fule said Turkey could put a serious pressure on EU members to lift visa procedures, however progress could be recorded with concerted efforts. Turkey and the EU should respect to each other and behave responsibly, Fule also said. Turkey became an EU candidate country in December 1999. The union launched accession talks with Turkey on October 3, 2005. The EU has so far opened 13 of the 35 chapter headings to negotiations with Turkey.