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Turkey hails common political will on relations with UK

January 31, 2020 at 9:12 pm

Opponents and supporters of Brexit gather around the UK Parliament building in London on the day that the UK formally leaves the European Union on 31 January, 2020 [İlyas Tayfun Salcı/Anadolu Agency]

Turkey welcomed “the existing common political will” to further develop the relations with the UK after Brexit, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday, reports Reuters.

“In the new period, relations between Turkey and the UK will provide significant opportunities to enhance regional and global stability as well as both parties’ interests,” the ministry said in a written statement.

Three-and-a-half years after the 2016 referendum, when the clocks strike 11 p.m. (2300GMT) in London or midnight in Brussels, the UK-EU partnership will be done and dusted in technical terms.

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The ministry underlined that while leaving the EU, the UK will remain “one of the most important and valuable components” of Europe.

The statement also hailed the “principled stance” of the UK, which has supported Turkey’s membership process within the block, recognised its regional and global position as well as the “added value of the potential role” that Turkey could provide to the EU.

During the transition period that will last until December 31, 2020, if not the EU and the UK agree to regulate otherwise, our relations with the UK will remain unaffected and the UK will continue to abide by the EU acquis.

Britain and the EU will have to sit around the table to shape the post-marital finances or in more technical terms, the new trade partnership.

All the necessary preparations in areas which will be affected by the withdrawal will be carried on “in a swift manner” along with the U.K. authorities during the transition period, it added.

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