EU High Representative on foreign policy Josep Borrell expressed the hope on Tuesday that his upcoming meeting with Turkey’s foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu will last longer than their previous meeting in Malta and that they will change the dynamics of EU- Turkey relations, noting that with neighbours, as with tango, “it takes two”.

More specifically, addressing a parliamentary debate, Borrel said: “I will have a long meeting with the Foreign Affairs Minister of Turkey. We are trying to engage and move for a better understanding. The leaders of the European Union Council sent a clear signal of willingness to engage with Turkey on a better neighbourhood, but as with the tango it has to be two to be good neighbours. We will try.”

And he added: “And it seems that the ambience is much better than the last summer. Let’s hope that the meeting with minister Cavusoglu will be at least longer than the one we had in Malta, during the month of August that lasted no more than one hour. So let’s see if we can change the dynamics. I hope we will”.