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WORLD NEWS Tuesday 27 March 2018

EU-Turkey summit: Erdogan hopes tough period in the past

SOFIA, Bulgaria (AP) — Turk- refugees these past years,"
ish President Recep Tayy- he said.
ip Erdogan on Monday "The EU has lent substan-
voiced hope that a difficult tial support to improve the
period in relations between livelihood of these refu-
Turkey and the European gees, and this evening we
Union is now in the past. reaffirmed the European
Erdogan spoke after talks Union's unwavering com-
with European Commission mitment to continue this
chief Jean-Claude Junck- support," Tusk said.
er, European Council Presi- He also said that while the
dent Donald Tusk and Bul- EU understands Turkey's
garian Prime Minister Boyko need to deal effectively
Borissov in the Bulgarian with its security, it is con-
Black Sea resort of Varna. cerned that some of the
"I hope that we have left methods used, undermine
a tough period in the rela- fundamental freedoms
tions between Turkey and and the rule of law in Tur-
Europe behind us," Erdo- key.
gan said and voiced hope “It would be a mistake for
that "a first step was taken a Europe that claims to be
here toward restoring trust a global power to keep Tur-
with Europe." key outside of expansion
He also said that EU mem- In this photo from left, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Bulgarian Prime Minister Boyko Bo- policies,” Erdogan said.
bership was a "strategic rissov, European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Borissov said that “I think
Juncker prepare for a photo, prior to a meeting at the EU Turkey summit, in Varna, Bulgaria.
goal." (Bulgarian Press office via AP) that before the end of our
Tusk said that the summit's EU presidency (the end of
purpose was to "continue He acknowledged that cluding the accession pro- port for refugees, Tusk said June) another EU-Turkey
the dialogue in really diffi- no concrete compro- cess," he added. that the EU and Turkey re- summit will be held.”
cult circumstances." mise or solution had been "We reconfirm our readiness main very close partners. In response to European
"Our meeting today dem- achieved at the summit, to keep up the dialogue "I would like to express our criticism of its cross-border
onstrated that while our re- but expressed hope that and conversation and work appreciation for the im- operation to drive out Syr-
lationship is going through such would be possible in together to overcome cur- pressive work Turkey has ian Kurdish militia from the
difficult times, in areas the future. rent difficulties with a view been doing, and to sin- northwestern Syrian border
where we do cooperate, "Only progress on these is- to unleashing the poten- cerely thank Turkey and the enclave of Afrin, Erdogan
we cooperate well," Tusk sues will allow us to improve tial of our partnership," Tusk Turkish people for hosting said Turkey expected Euro-
said. the EU-Turkey relations, in- said. On migration and sup- more than 3 million Syrian pean backing.q