Turkey Excluded From Decision-Making in EU Defense Policy: Foreign Minister

Turkey's Foreign Minister said that in spite of Turkey's important contributions to the EU's security and defense policies, the country is still not included in any decision mechanisms.

ANKARA, December 10 (Sputnik) — Despite the county's contributions to the EU security and defense policy, Turkey is still left overboard in everything that concerns decision-making in these fields, Turkey's Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu stated.

"Turkey makes very important contributions to the EU's security and defense policies. But until now Turkey was not included in any decision mechanisms, related to security and defense," Cavusoglu said at a press conference in Ankara Tuesday.

On Monday, the EU Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Federica Mogherini said that the European Union and Turkey have drifted apart on foreign policy and need greater alignment to deal with major external threats.

Turkey has been negotiating to join the European Union since 2005, but several political obstacles, such as the divided Cyprus, have slowed down the process.

Turkey's cooperation with the European Defense Agency, the main body supporting cooperative defense projects and programs of the EU member states, was blocked by the Greek Cypriot Administration in 2005.