No: 307, 13 December 2015

H.E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Republic of Turkey will attend a working lunch on 14 December 2015, upon the invitation of Ms. Federica Mogherini, the High Representative of the Union for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy and Vice President of the European Commission within the framework of the EU Foreign Affairs Council Meeting to be held with the participation of EU Foreign Ministers.

The Turkey-EU Summit held on 29 November 2015 had decided to increase frequent and regular high level contacts between the EU and Turkey. Thus, this invitation, which will enhance collaboration with the EU in the fields of foreign policy, security and counterterrorism, was appreciated. In the meeting we expect to exchange views on regional issues as well.

Foreign Minister H.E. Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu will attend the Intergovernmental Conference in the afternoon of the same day, where the 17th Chapter entitled “Economic and Monetary Policy” will be opened, together with H.E. Mehmet Şimşek, Deputy Prime Minister and H.E. Volkan Bozkır, Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator.

The said Chapter will constitute the fifteenth chapter to be opened in the membership negotiations following the 22nd Chapter entitled “Regional Policy and Coordination of Structural Instruments” which had been opened in November 2013.

Turkey shall resolutely carry on with its efforts to open the remaining chapters as soon as possible in the spirit of the common objective to reinvigorate the relations as was highlighted in the Turkey-EU Summit on 29 November.