Ankara’s reaction was not only the decision not to attend the celebration event. It was decided to reduce the level of participation in the working breakfast, which is in the context of an informal General Affairs Council meeting that will bring together all countries in the enlargement process, including Turkey, with EU ministers. At the meeting, where Turkey was normally expected to be represented by the Minister of Foreign Affairs Hakan Fidan, after the evaluations, it was decided that the Permanent Representative of the EU, Ambassador Faruk Kaymakcı, would represent Turkey instead of Fidan.
Ankara’s approach was determined by the fact that Turkey’s decisions at the last EU Summit were weak beyond expectations and the relations were associated with the Cyprus negotiations. In its statement regarding the EU Summit’s decisions on Turkey, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said, “We will discuss our dialogue with the EU within the framework of reciprocity, according to the speed, level and scope of the EU’s steps towards Turkey in the coming period.”
