The European Union has said it is important to maintain an open and frank dialogue with Turkey in order to meet common challenges, the Daily Sabah reported, citing a statement from the EU's General Affairs Council.
Meanwhile, the document notes that Ankara "continues to distance itself from the Community" and that negotiations for its accession to the Bloc are still deadlocked.
In the text, the member states stressed the importance of maintaining an open and frank dialogue with Turkey to address common challenges and to cooperate in areas of common interest such as migration, climate, public health and regional issues, writes Daily Sabah.
EU ministers met in Brussels for the last meeting of the General Affairs Council this year in preparation for the EU summit on 16 December. They discussed the Bloc's 2022 agenda and assessed the current situation with its enlargement, the article said.
The statement issued after the meeting highlighted the recent resumption of the EU-Turkey high-level dialogue on a number of issues, as well as Ankara's ratification of the Paris Climate Agreement. The document also welcomes Turkey's ongoing efforts to accommodate and meet the needs of nearly 4 million refugees.
The statement, meanwhile, expressed concern about the state of democracy, the rule of law and fundamental rights in Turkey, including freedom of speech. The Council also told Ankara that there was a "systematic lack" of judicial independence.
"The Council notes with regret that Turkey continues to distance itself from the European Union and recalls its previous conclusion, which shows that Turkey's (EU) accession negotiations are virtually deadlocked," the document said.
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