Turkey, EU try to create positive atmosphere in ties: Turkish FM

Turkey and the European Union have taken some steps mutually attempting to create a positive environment to maintain relations, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said on Dec. 24.

"With some mutual steps taken recently, we are trying to create a more positive atmosphere," Çavuşoğlu said, addressing staff of the Turkish Accreditation Agency (TURKAK).

Recalling President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan's recent phone conversations with European Council President Charles Michel and Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel, Çavuşoğlu said that he had talks with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and other foreign ministers to formulate ways to bring about positivity in ties.

"We are working on a road map for the future," Çavuşoğlu stated.

Ankara has started work on road maps with some countries that had a negative approach towards Turkey, the minister said, noting that bilateral ties with those countries would not have been possible with a negative attitude.

Ankara and Paris have recently taken steps to calm down the tension between the two countries as the officials have had talks to draw a road map for normalization.

Relations between Turkey and EU member state Greece are at odds due to several issues.

Turkey has rejected the maritime boundary claims of Greece and the Greek Cypriots. Ankara has sent several drillships in recent months to explore for energy resources in the eastern Mediterranean.