ANKARA
European Union's top diplomat in Turkey has said it was still unclear when the union would submit its action plan on visa liberalization, however, the key step in the process would be Turkey's signing the readmission agreement.
In an interview with AA, Jean-Maurice Ripert, the head of the EU Delegation to Turkey, said that the initialling of the readmission agreement and the adoption by the Council of a mandate for the Commission to open a visa dialogue aimed at visa liberalization marked an important breakthrough.
He said the process envisaged that the Commission took steps towards visa liberalization in parallel to the signature of the readmission agreement.
"Therefore it is key that Turkey now signs the readmission agreement. On this basis, the European Commission will present an Action Plan for Turkey that will ultimately lead to visa-free travel," he said.
Noting that the action plan would be presented upon being discussed between the Commission and the Member States, Ripert said, "It is premature to put a specific time on when the discussions will be completed and when the Plan will actually reach Turkey, but the trigger point is certainly the signature by Turkey of the readmission agreement."
Ripert also said it was important that a perspective had been set in motion, which would eventually allow Turkish citizens to travel without visas to Europe, upon Turkey fulfilling the requirements of the Action Plan.
