TURKISH BREEZE IN BRUSSELS

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis met Günther Öttinger, Member of the European Commission Responsible for Energy and Michel Barnier, Member of the European Commission Responsible for Internal Market and Services within the framework of his Brussels contacts.

Bagis stated that under the chairmanship of Secretary General for EU Affairs and Ambassador Volkan Bozkir, deputy undersecretaries representing 8 different institutions from Turkey had meetings with their counterparts the day before and discussed preparations regarding the chapters which could be opened in the forthcoming period.

Indicating that they invited the EU's Energy Commissioner Öttinger to Turkey, Bagis said that Öttinger who planned to visit Central Asian countries, particularly Azerbaijan and Turkmenistan in later April would add Turkey to his programme.

Egemen Bagis met the EU's Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle the same day within the framework of his Brussels programme. During the meeting to which many high level bureaucrats from both sides also attended, preparations regarding the chapters planned to be opened in 1 year were discussed.

Minister for EU Affairs Bagis also met Michel Barnier, Member of the European Commission Responsible for Internal Market and Services, John Dalli, Member of the European Commission Responsible for Health and Consumer Policy and Laszlo Andor, Member of the European Commission Responsible for Employment and Social Affairs along with his meeting with the EU's Energy Commissioner Günther Öttinger, whose areas of competence relate to the chapters Turkey planned to open in the EU accession negotiations.

Meeting also Steven Vanackere, the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of Belgium and reminding that Belgium would take over the EU Presidency in the second half of this year, Bagis exchanged views with Vanackere on the issue of improving Turkey-EU relations and membership negotiations in this process.

Source: AA