Turkey hails common political will on relations with UK

By Jeyhun Aliyev

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey welcomed "the existing common political will" to further develop the relations with the U.K. after Brexit, the Foreign Ministry said on Friday.

"In the new period, relations between Turkey and the U.K. will provide significant opportunities to enhance regional and global stability as well as both parties’ interests," the ministry said in a written statement.

Three-and-a-half years after 2016 referendum, when the clocks strike 11 p.m. (2300GMT) in London or midnight in Brussels, the U.K.-EU partnership will be done and dusted in technical terms.

The ministry underlined that while leaving the EU, the U.K. will remain "one of the most important and valuable components" of Europe.

The statement also hailed the "principled stance" of the U.K., which has supported Turkey's membership process within the block, recognized its regional and global position as well as the "added value of the potential role" that Turkey could provide to the EU.

"During the transition period that will last until Dec. 31, 2020, if not the EU and the UK agree to regulate otherwise, our relations with the U.K. will remain unaffected and the U.K. will continue to abide by the EU acquis."

Britain and the EU will have to sit around the table to shape the post-marital finances or in more technical terms, the new trade partnership.

All the necessary preparations in areas which will be affected by the withdrawal will be carried on "in a swift manner" along with the U.K. authorities during the transition period, it added.