ANKARA, Jan. 29 (Xinhua) -- Following a rough year marked with discord, Turkey said that it wants to turn a new page with the European Union (EU), while experts and diplomats stressed the need for time and efforts to dispel mutual mistrust.
In early January, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that his country wants to improve relations with the European bloc and put the troubled ties "back on track."
Addressing EU nations' ambassadors in Ankara on Jan. 12, the Turkish leader conveyed positive messages after a toxic year in bilateral ties.
Political analyst Serkan Demirtas said that "this is one of the strongest lines ever voiced by President Erdogan when it comes to ties with the EU."
"Not so long ago, he was frequently suggesting that the EU needs Turkey more than Turkey needs the EU," he told Xinhua.
Demirtas indicated that despite all the strong and positive pro-Europe messages that Ankara is voicing recently, Turkey has to be much more concrete in its actions to repair ties.
Turkey is also seeking an upgrade to its customs union agreement with the bloc and wants an extension to its refugee deal, coupled with new funding, he said.
"The government should create a new positive atmosphere with the EU and support it with concrete measures and decisions stressing that it means business," he added.
The year 2020 has proved difficult for relations between the EU and Turkey, which remains an official candidate for EU membership, as tensions increased over maritime zones and drilling rights in the Eastern Mediterranean.
Both sides say there is a political will to improve relations, yet bilateral issues including Cyprus, migration and accession negotiations remain on top agenda to be addressed.
Meanwhile, in a boost to re-energize the partnership, exploratory talks between Turkey and Greece on the Eastern Mediterranean dispute started earlier this week in Istanbul, the first after a five-year hiatus.
Diplomats agreed that there is indeed a willingness to turn a new page in relations which can be seen both in Ankara and Brussels.
An important sign regarding this issue came on Tuesday when the European bloc decided to hold off possible sanctions on Turkey due to positive developments on the Eastern Mediterranean dispute in a meeting of the bloc's foreign ministers.
According to Talha Kose, a researcher from the Ankara-based policy thinktank the Foundation for Political, Economic and Social Research, both Ankara and Brussels will need concrete steps to overcome the problem of mistrust.
"There will not be a significant breakthrough in Turkey-EU relations in the near future despite both sides' conciliatory gestures. The cooperation will improve gradually by joint constructive efforts and small confidence-building steps," he wrote in a column in daily Sabah.
Turkey began EU membership negotiations in 2005 but the talks have come to a standstill. The EU frequently accuses Turkey of drifting away from European values but relies on the country to prevent refugees and migrants from crossing into European nations.
In March 2016, Ankara and Brussels signed an agreement to reduce the number of migrants taking the dangerous Aegean Sea route to Europe and to find a solution for the influx of migrants heading to EU countries. Enditem
