Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ambassador Volkan Bozkır wrapped up his visit to Strasbourg and departed for Berlin

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Ambassador Volkan Bozkır visited Strasbourg on 20 January 2016 to hold official meetings with the Council of Europe and the European Parliament (EP).

At the Council of Europe, Minister Bozkır met with Thorbjørn Jagland, Secretary General of the Council of Europe and with Gianni Buquicchio, President of the Venice Commission.

In the meetings at the Council of Europe, views were exchanged on political reform process in Türkiye, new constitution, irregular migration issue and the PKK terror in Türkiye.

At the European Parliament, Minister Bozkır held separate meetings with Kati Piri, the EP's Türkiye rapporteur; co-chairmen and members of the Friends of Türkiye Group; Gianni Pittella, Chair of the Group of Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats (S&D); Manfred Weber, Chair of the Group of European People's Party (EPP); and Syed Kamall, Chair of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group (ECR).

At the European Parliament, Minister Bozkır exchanged views his counterparts on political reform process, accession negotiations, visa liberalisation dialogue, fight against PKK terrorism, cooperation in addressing irregular migration and regional developments.

In Strasbourg, Minister Bozkır also met with Bert Koenders, Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands and term President of the EU. Two Ministers discussed irregular migration, PKK terror, accession negotiations and Cyprus.

Minister Bozkır also joined live broadcast of TRT, Anatolian Agency, CNNTurk and Kanal 24 and gave interviews about his meetings in Strasbourg.