Turkey Wants to Improve Ties with EU

 Turkey urged the European Union on Tuesday to use "common sense" to end a dispute over natural gas that has fanned territorial rows in the eastern Mediterranean and drawn a threat of sanctions from the bloc's leaders.

Speaking at a news conference with his Hungarian counterpart in Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu reiterated that Ankara wanted to join the bloc as a full member, and said EU statements accusing Ankara of stoking tensions were wrong.

EU member Greece had continued "provocative" steps despite Turkey's diplomatic efforts, he said.

On Monday, EU foreign ministers said Turkey had failed to help end the row with EU members Greece and Cyprus over natural gas resources, but they left any decision on retaliatory sanctions for an EU summit on Thursday./ Reuters