Speaking after meeting with Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan in Ankara, Jouyet said France would adopt a positive stance to opening new chapters of negotiations.
“I have stated that the French EU Presidency should not create any worries,” Jouyet said. “France welcomes the reforms Turkey implements with a perspective that brings it closer to the EU.”
France needed to better inform its public about Turkey while Turkey needed to better promote itself, he said.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy has spoken out strongly against having Turkey as a member of the EU, saying it would be better if Ankara was offered a privileged partnership arrangement with Europe instead of full membership.
However Jouyet said France would be very objective impartial and balanced against Turkey during its EU term presidency, which begins on July 1.
“We want Turkey to meet all the criteria: this way France will have a positive stance towards opening of new chapters in accession talks,” said Jouyet.
In response, Babacan said Turkey expected there to be concrete progress in Turkey’s accession negotiations with the EU under France’s presidency of the Union.
“EU membership is a strategic target for Turkey, and our country has made many reforms toward that goal,” he said. “We are expecting concrete progress under French presidency.”
