Following the start of his tenure in January 2014, IKV Chairman Ömer Cihad Vardan continues to pay official visits to major Turkish authorities, first and foremost Abdullah Gül, the President of the Turkish Republic as well as prominent representatives of the EU. Within this scope, on 10 April 2014, Chairman Vardan, accompanied by IKV Auditor Hasan Hüseyin Coşkun and Secretary General Çiğdem Nas, visited German Ambassador Eberhard Pohl, French Ambassador Laurent Bili, British Ambassador Richard Moore and Italian Ambassador Gianpaolo Scarante.

Chairman Vardan briefed the ambassadors on IKV, a prominent NGO working on Turkey-EU relations since 1965, and informed them about IKV’s main objectives and priorities. Chairman Vardan also stated that, since the beginning of their term on 16 January 2014, the new Board of Directors have been actively working on a number of key areas such as Turkey-EU accession negotiations, visa dialogue, readmission agreement and free trade agreements, primarily the Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership; and identified the support of and contribution to Turkey’s EU integration process as one of IKV’s major objectives.

Chairman Vardan emphasised the importance of the continuation of Turkey’s integration process without any obstacles and safeguarding of the momentum gained in Turkey-EU relations particularly after the opening of Chapter 22 in November 2013, and the signature of the Readmission Agreement in December 2013, and due to efforts of high-ranking officials and their bilateral contacts. Chairman Vardan also underlined that the opening of Chapter 23 on Judiciary and Fundamental Rights, and Chapter 24 on Justice, Freedom and Security will, without a doubt, contribute to Turkey’s reform process, which is also repeatedly agreed upon by the senior political leaders of Germany, France, UK and Italy. Furthermore, with reference to the recent developments in Ukraine, Chairman Vardan stressed that the energy issue which has always had a crucial importance in Turkey-EU relations, became even more imperative in the aftermath of the recent turmoil, hence signified the importance of the opening of Chapter 15 on Energy and its contribution to Turkey’s accession negotiation process. In a similar vein, Chairman Vardan reiterated the importance of continuance of integration process through mutual efforts and willingness of Turkey and the EU in conjunction with fostering of a perpetual and constructive dialogue between the two actors, especially at the governmental, civil society and the private sector level.

Furthermore, intentions to organise mutual events and collaborations in different areas between IKV and the representatives of EU Member States were put forward; and current developments at the national and international level were deliberated on such as Turkey’s EU reform process, bilateral and economic relations between Turkey and the concerning countries, recent developments in the accession negotiations, visa issue, as well as the international crises and their impact upon Turkey and the EU. Moreover, strong emphasis was put on the importance of the EU anchor for Turkey to reach its 2013 objectives; and it was reiterated that the current regional turmoil have brought Turkey and the EU even closer. Last but not least, it was underlined that the recent political developments in Turkey should not overshadow Turkey’s EU integration process, and the relations should be kept alive with the help of perpetual and constructive dialogue between Turkish and the European officials in the benefit of both actors.

IKV Chairman Ömer Cihad Vardan will continue to pay official visits to other EU Member State representatives in the forthcoming days.