Ankara wants timetable on visa-free travel to EU

Ankara has demanded the European Union lay down a "concrete road map" for visa liberalization, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Sept. 9 following a proposal by Ankara for an interim formula to meet EU criteria for Turkish citizens' visa-free travel. 

Ankara proposed that the Council of Europe monitor Turkey's anti-terror law, which could pave the way for the implementation of a migrant deal that includes a readmission agreement in return for visa liberalization. 

EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini and Enlargement Commissioner Johannes Hahn made the highest-level EU visit to Turkey since the failed coup attempt to hold a political dialogue meeting between Ankara and Brussels. 

"The key element which we agreed to was that we talk more to each other and a little bit less about each other, showing full respect," Mogherini said after talks with Çavuşoğlu and EU Minister Ömer Çelik.  

Turkish and EU officials engaged in a war of words over the opening of chapters 23 and 24 of the accession process - encompassing justice and rights and freedom and security - as Çelik accused some member states that said it would take years for Turkey to become a member of holding "double standards." 

Çelik recalled criticisms from the EU on the state of human rights and the freedom of press and called on the union to discuss the issues in official platforms during the opening of the relevant negotiation chapters 23 and 24. 

Noting that preparations were underway to open the chapters, Hahn referred to the de facto blockage by Greek Cyprus on the opening of the chapters, and said a solution to the Cyprus problem could pave the way for the opening of the chapters. 

Arguing that Cyprus and the EU negotiations were...