Emin Avundukluoğlu
October 26, 2018•Update: October 26, 2018
By Muhammet Emin Avundukluoglu
ANKARA
The head of the Turkish parliament's Industry Committee Mustafa Elitas met Friday with Oliver Wittke, Germany's parliamentary state secretary at the Federal Ministry for Economic Affairs and Energy.
"Turkish citizens wish for an outcome from [Turkey's] EU adventure," said during the meeting.
"If it is possible, they want a positive outcome. If not, they wish for an end that would put everyone on their own way," he said.
also recalled that the EU has yet to honor the pledges it made for Syrian refugees in Turkey.
In March 2016, EU and Turkey reached an agreement to stop irregular migration through the Aegean Sea, and improve the conditions of more than 3 million Syrian refugees in Turkey.
The EU pledged €6 billion ($7.44 billion) in funding for the refugees and promised to mobilize the second €3 billion ($3.72 billion) tranche by the end of 2018.
Turkey hosts some 3.5 million Syrians, more than any other country in the world. Ankara says it has spent around $25 billion helping and sheltering refugees since the beginning of the Syrian civil war.
For his part, Wittke said that the EU should not close its doors on Turkey.
"Turkey should also find the way that goes to EU. Though this might be a long process," said Wittke.
"For starting the relations again, Turkey should also take some measures," he added.
Turkey applied for membership in the European Economic Community (a precursor to the EU) in 1987. It became eligible for EU membership in 1997 and accession talks began in 2005.
