Ankara, Feb. 8, 2021 (Lusa) - Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Tuesday that he was "determined" to normalise relations with the Community bloc by showing interest in a summit between the two parties during the Portuguese presidency of the Council of the European Union.

"President Erdogan reiterated his wish for a Turkey-EU summit to be organised before the end of the Portuguese presidency," he said in a communiqué, quoted by the AFP agency, after a remote meeting between Erdogan and German Chancellor Angela Merkel.

In January, the Turkish president showed interest in normalising relations with the European Union (EU). Still, the EU bloc leaders demanded "credible gestures" and "lasting efforts" from Ankara to organise a summit between the two regions on 25 and 26 March.

In this regard, Erdogan assured Angela Merkel that Turkey was "determined" to maintain a "positive" spirit with the European Union, statements the German Chancellor welcomed with the "recent positive signs" shown by Ankara.

Tensions between Turkey, Cyprus and Greece have been a cause for concern within the European Union. Last December, European leaders meeting in Brussels agreed to impose sanctions against Turkey because of its "unilateral and provocative" sanctions in the eastern Mediterranean.

However, the ambitious normalisation of relations between the EU and Turkey could be affected by the crackdown on a Turkish student protest shaking the country.

Last Thursday, the 27 called for the immediate release of the imprisoned students. It said they were "seriously concerned" about the repression and the deterioration of the rule of law in Turkey.

Portugal is chairing the rotating presidency of the Council of the EU during the first half of this year, and relations between the EU bloc and Turkey are expected to mark the Portuguese executive's agenda in the coming months.

BYC/ADB // ADB.

Lusa