Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan discussed Türkiye-EU relations, including visa liberalization, with the head of the bloc's delegation to Türkiye, according to a statement by the Foreign Ministry on Monday.
Fidan received Nikolaus Meyer-Landrut, head of the EU Delegation to Türkiye and also met with the ambassadors of EU member states in the capital Ankara.
During the meeting, Fidan said Türkiye's priority is updating the Customs Union and ensuring visa liberalization, according to Turkish diplomatic sources.
For relations to be revitalized, the EU must act in accordance with the "principle of keeping pacts," Fidan said, said the sources, who asked not to be named due to restrictions on speaking to the media.
"We have demonstrated our determination in this regard. We value the positive messages from the EU, but they need to be put into practice."
Dialogue and cooperation mechanisms between Türkiye and the EU need to be made more "functional," Fidan stressed.
"The obstacles delaying our citizens' visa applications should be removed immediately, and we expect the issued visas to be multiple-entry and long-term," he said, referring to a problem that has led to many public complaints in recent months.
He said Turkish participation in the EU's green and digital transformation efforts will boost the EU's chances of success in these areas and deepen economic cooperation between the bloc and Türkiye.
On the March 2016 refugee deal between Türkiye and the EU, Fidan said EU must fulfill the requirements of the agreement and share a greater burden in the fight against irregular migration.
"We need to have stronger cooperation in the fight against terrorism," Fidan said.
"Türkiye plays an extremely important role in resolving the problems in our region. We hope the EU approaches Türkiye with a visionary perspective and sets aside petty political calculations."
On Israel's attack on Gaza, Fidan stressed that attacks targeting civilians are "unacceptable" and must stop immediately.
"We should prevent the conflict from reaching a regional level. It is necessary to start the peace process aiming for a two-state solution within the agreed parameters as soon as possible," Fidan said.
He added that a cease-fire must be declared and that a steady stream of humanitarian aid must be delivered to Gaza.
"We believe that a mechanism of guarantors can be used."
"When steps are taken in some European countries to ban demonstrations in support of Palestine, (at the same time) allowing attacks on our holy book, the Quran, on the grounds of freedom of expression is a double standard."
The Israeli army has widened its air and ground attacks on the Gaza Strip, which has been under relentless airstrikes since the surprise attack by Hamas into Israeli territory on Oct. 7.
Nearly 9,850 people have been killed in the conflict, including 8,306 Palestinians and more than 1,538 Israelis.
Developments in the Balkans, Caucasus, Central Asia, and the Ukraine-Russia war were also discussed at the meeting, the sources added.
