Turkey to join EU meeting in Brussels after five year absence

The Turkish foreign minister will on Thursday attend an informal meeting of the European Union in Brussels for the first time in five years, a Turkish diplomatic source said.

Turkey has been an EU candidate since 1999 and launched membership talks in 2005 - but the process has been frozen for years on a number of fronts.

Ankara and Brussels have a sometimes fraught relation, with the EU relying on Turkey to house refugees from Syria, but clashing with it on its approach to Greece and the divided island of Cyprus.

Brussels is also concerned by Turkey's human rights record, especially after a failed coup attempt that followed mass purges which also targeted opponents of the government.

"We consider the EU's invitation (to attend the meeting) as a search for dialogue with regard to our calls to revive relations with Turkey," the Turkish diplomatic source told AFP.

Ankara hopes Thursday's meeting would help open dialogue channels.

Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan is expected to meet with senior EU officials in Brussels including foreign policy chief Josep Borrell and enlargement commissioner Oliver Varhelyi.

"It will be in favour of both sides to improve relations in the face of regional and global challenges," the diplomatic source said.

"Turkey's clear stance on the Cyprus issue will once again be explained to the EU side."

On Cyprus, the EU has opposed calls from Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan for a two-state solution and wants to see Ankara allow new UN-mediated talks.

EU member Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkish forces occupied its northern third in response to a military coup sponsored by the junta then in power in Greece.

The statehood of the republic Turkish Cypriot leaders proclaimed in 1983 is recognised only by Ankara.

Fidan's talks with his European counterparts will also focus on a new customs union and an easing of visa rules for Turkish citizens.

The Turkish minister is also expected to meet with his Greek counterpart Giorgos Gerapetritis on the margins of the gathering.