ANKARA, May 30 -- Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned from a crucial visit to Brussels last week, spreading a wind of hope on tensions between Turkey and Europe, but caution and skepticism prevail on the future of the contentious ties.
Both parties agreed to disagree on many issues and the talks that President Erdogan held with the heads of European Union institutions produced no new agreements even though they have established a "good atmosphere," according to experts.
Tensions between Turkey and the EU run high over rights and security issues; but the bloc depends on the help of NATO ally Ankara on migration and the conflict in Syria.
After meeting European Council President Donald Tusk and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker in Brussels, Erdogan was quoted as saying that he had been presented with a new 12-month timetable for renewing ties.
But senior officials voiced caution and some skepticism, saying no formal deadlines were set. The EU has a list of mid- and-high-level meetings it hopes to hold with Turkey this year, they said, but any improvement in bilateral ties would depend on Erdogan's resolving at least some of many points of contention.
They included the EU's worry that Turkey's anti-terror laws are too broad and used to persecute Erdogan critics, as demonstrated in Ankara's sweeping security crackdown following a coup attempt last year.
Other concerns relate to the treatment of the Kurds, the media and academics, as well as Erdogan moving to assume even more powers following the April referendum.
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