EU Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn(1st L), EU Foreign Policy Chief Federica Mogherini(2nd L), Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu(2nd R) take part in a press conference in Ankara, Turkey on Sept. 9, 2016. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday identified the European Union's stance on failing to open new negotiation chapter as "weakness" as the union cannot stop Cyprus from blocking Turkey's membership process. Cavusoglu made the remarks after an EU-Turkey political dialogue meeting with participation of Federica Mogherini and Johannes Hahn. (Xinhua/Mustafa Kaya)
ANKARA, Sept. 9 (Xinhua) -- Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu on Friday identified the European Union's stance on failing to open new negotiation chapter as "weakness" as the union cannot stop Cyprus from blocking Turkey's membership process.
"The EU's inability to prevent a country from blocking the opening of new chapters is another display of the EU's weakness in overcoming problems," Cavusoglu said on Friday after an EU-Turkey political dialogue meeting with participation of EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn.
Turkish minister and EU officials discussed the position of the EU for opening chapters of "23-Judiciary and Fundamental Rights" and "24-Justice, Freedom and Security."
Cavusoglu called on the 28 member-block to open the chapters in current term presidency. Yet Hahn said only a Cyprus peace deal would make that happen.
Brussels and Ankara share a "common interest" in resolving the Cyprus dispute in the coming months, Mogherini said. "We see a window of more than hope for this issue to be solved in the coming month."
"The key element which we agreed to was that we talk more to each other and less about each other, showing full respect," Mogherini stated commenting on Friday's meeting in Turkey's capital Ankara.
Turkish and Greek Cypriots are having talks since May 2015 for reunification of the island, which was split along ethnic lines since 1974 after interference by Turkey in response to a short-lived Greek Cypriot coup.
Cyprus dispute has been a major hurdle in Turkey's bid to join the block as EU member Greek Cypriots, considered by the international community the sole legitimate authority, blockages 6 of 35 negotiation chapters for accession process of Ankara.
Hahn said Turkey remains an EU candidate country. "And in a candidate country, we have to apply the highest standards, as we applied these standards among ourselves."
He believed a solution for the visa liberalization issue is possible and that the timing is up to Ankara.
The Turkish government has suggested that the Council of Europe monitor the implementation of Turkey's anti-terror law, but the union has yet to give a response, and the issue would be discussed at a technical level, according to Hurriyet Daily News.
Turkey and the EU earlier this year implemented a deal to stem the record flow of migrants to Europe in exchange for billions of euros to Turkey and the lifting of short-term visa requirements on Turkish citizens in October.
But the EU has failed to change its visa rules, accusing Turkey of refusing to alter its draconian counter-terrorism laws to meet EU political criteria.
