Turkiye seeks full EU membership with strategic view, President Erdogan tells France's Macron

French President Emmanuel Macron (R) and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan greet each other during a joint press conference in Paris, France on 5 January 2018 [LUDOVIC MARIN/AFP/Getty Images]

Turkiye is acting with a strategic perspective towards full EU membership, the country’s President, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, told his French counterpart on Thursday, Anadolu Agency reports.

Erdogan also underlined the need to revitalise the candidate country’s accession process during his meeting with Emmanuel Macron in Hungary’s capital, Budapest, where he attended the European Political Community Summit, according to Turkiye’s Communications Directorate.

He conveyed Ankara’s expectation for the EU to update its Customs Union with Turkiye and fulfil its promises to Ankara on visa liberalisation for Turkish nationals.

The two leaders also discussed regional and global issues.

Pointing to the “deep-rooted history” between Ankara and Paris, Erdogan underlined that advancing commercial and economic relations would be mutually beneficial for both countries.

“President Erdogan stated that it is in the interest of all countries to resolve tensions such as those between Ukraine and Russia, Israel and Palestine and Israel and Lebanon through peaceful diplomacy,” the Directorate added.

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