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News Analysis: Brexit may slow pace for Turkey's accession to EU

Xinhua, June 25, 2016 Adjust font size:

The choice of the British people to leave the European Union (EU) may negatively influence Turkey's bid for full membership to the bloc and introduce a new model of relationship for Ankara, according to Local experts.

"Britain's departure may further delay Turkey's accession process which has already slow pace with decades-long negotiations to join the bloc," Turkish columnist Serkan Demirtas said.

"Brexit would introduce ideas of special relationship between the EU and the non-member countries such as Turkey," he said, as there are a quite number of Turkey-skeptics in the union.

"Britain was a main country of the TransAtlantic wing of the EU. Its departure is a strategical loss for Turkey," said Serhat Guvenc, Professor of Kadir Has University.

He added that due to Britain's belonging to TranslAatnaltic wing of the EU, it has always supported NATO member Turkey's relations with the EU. In the long term, Turkey will lost its supporter inside the EU.

After the UK's departure, Turkey would be a key country for the EU, Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Omer Celik said on Friday.

"The EU needs a fresh injection. The UK's departure has not been good for the continent and the world," he said.

In the short term, negative impact of Britain's departure on bilateral economic relations with Turkey as exports of the latter might decrease, Sinan Ulgen, chairman of Centre for Economics and Foreign Policy Studies said.

Britain is Turkey's second largest export market. Turkish exports to Britain constitutes 7 percent of its total exports.

He also said that Turkey even have seen negative impact of the Brexit today, referring to increase of US dollar value against Turkish Lira on the day of referendum in Britain.

Turkey's total exports to Britain worth a total of 10.6 billion US dollars, while imports worth a total of 5.5 billion dollars.

Brexit's long term effects on Turkey will be more significant, since Britain's new model of relationship with the bloc after its departure would inspire for Turkey's future ties with the EU,according to Ulgen's research.

A deep bilateral relationship that the EU and Britain would establish could be a model for Turkey, a candidate country that cannot overcome deadlock in full membership negotiations, Ulgen stated.

He added that a unique relation model of future Britain-EU could set a precedent for Turkey-EU future relations.

Turkish-British Chamber of Commerce and Industry Remzi Gur also warns of decrease in volume of Turkey's exports to Britain, adding British Sterling would lose value after the county leaves the EU.

Turkey and the UK would have to seal a new free trade agreement if London also leaves Customs Union of the EU, Sait Akman from Turkish Economic Policy Research Foundation (TEPAV) said.

Akman recalled negotiations between the EU and Turkey which aims to upgrade current Customs Union agreement and said the process might delay after Britain's departure since the bloc would be busy with its internal problems. Endit