Türkiye will continue its efforts toward visa liberalization and negotiations with the European Union, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said, indicating that the bloc must be sincere in its approach toward Ankara.

Noting that Türkiye will "continue to take steps in this direction," Çavuşoğlu reiterated during a televised interview on Habertürk that Ankara "suspended the readmission agreement over the EU not fulfilling the visa liberalization (pledge)."

A migration deal was signed on March 18, 2016, as the Syrian civil war continued to uproot millions who then began their "journey of hope" to reach the EU.

The agreement contained six key points: the reinvigoration of Ankara's EU accession process, modernization of their Customs Union, revival of high-level dialogue, visa liberalization for Turkish nationals, cooperation in managing migration flows and steps in counterterrorism.

Türkiye has long complained that while it upheld its end of the deal, the EU did not keep its pledges, including on visa liberalization.

Çavuşoğlu's comments came after main opposition Republican People's Party (CHP) Chairperson Kemal Kılıçdaroğlu claimed recently to provide visa liberalization to the EU within three months of time if he is elected president. Upon this, Çavuşoğlu reiterated that there are certain criteria to be fulfilled on which there is no agreement with the EU and asked whether the CHP leader made any deals with EU officials on the issue.

Noting that another priority area for Türkiye's foreign policy is "economic diplomacy," Çavuşoğlu said it includes "health tourism, trade and exports."

He also listed Ankara's Africa policy, ties with Latin American countries and Asia Anew Initiative as other priority areas in Türkiye's foreign policy.

Çavuşoğlu pledged to increase Türkiye's role in the EU. He added that developing relations with the U.S. and Latin American countries tops the country's agenda.

"There is a serious power-sharing pursuit in the world. New powers are emerging because of multilateralism and the inadequacy of the system. Türkiye should be in a very solid place in this power sharing," he said.

Asked about his meeting with Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry in the capital Ankara, Çavuşoğlu described it as a "very good" one.

"We are now focused on the steps to take with aims to revive relationships. We are making preparations for the meeting of the leaders," Çavuşoğlu said, adding a meeting between Türkiye and Egypt's presidents is expected to be held following Türkiye's May 14 elections.

The assigning of ambassadors will be announced in a joint statement, said the Turkish minister, as he noted that in their latest meeting, they had addressed the establishment of a trade and economy commission as well as a joint chamber of commerce.

"We will support each other during international organizations' arenas and will support each other's nominations," he said.

The Turkish and Egyptian foreign ministers also "agreed on a road map that will lead Libya to elections."

Diplomatic relations between Türkiye and Egypt have been at the level of charges d'affaires since 2013.

During his March 18th visit to Cairo, the first by a Turkish foreign minister in 11 years, Çavuşoğlu said the two countries were looking to raise diplomatic relations to the highest level "as soon as possible."

Syrian regime engagement

Asked about the four-way talks between Türkiye, Russia, Iran and Syria, Çavuşoğlu said the Syrian regime has been insisting on the withdrawal of Turkish security forces from northern Syria since the very beginning.

"But it is a fact that they (the Syrian regime) have no sovereignty over their territories and the PKK/YPG terrorist organization continues to dominate the area," he said.

Reiterating that Türkiye's counterterrorism operations in northern Syria have eliminated the dominance of Daesh terrorists, Çavuşoğlu noted that Türkiye "strongly supports the territorial integrity of Syria ... We want to revive the political process. There is no other option."

Any normalization between Ankara and Damascus would reshape the decadelong Syrian war. Turkish backing has been vital to sustaining Syrian moderate opposition in their last major territorial foothold in the northwest after regime leader Bashar Assad defeated the opposition across the rest of the country, aided by Russia and Iran.

Sulaymaniyah tensions

On relations with Iraq, the Turkish minister said there is no change in Türkiye's decision of closing its airspace to flights to and from Iraq's Sulaymaniyah airport from April 3 to June 3 amid PKK terrorist activities in the region.

"Because there is still a PKK existence there," he said, adding the control of airspace in Sulaymaniyah is in the hands of the U.S.

"The U.S. has knowledge of everything, not just in Syria. But we are seeing their engagement with the PKK across the region. In such case, it is not appropriate for our planes to use that airspace," he said.

"We will also not allow planes taking off from that airport to enter our airspace," he said, adding the decision can only be reevaluated if Iraq can "take concrete steps in the fight against the PKK."

Türkiye's decision to close off its airspace came as the PKK terrorist organization stepped up its activities in the Sulaymaniyah region, as the Turkish Foreign Ministry previously said the terror group "threatened" flight security.

The PKK, which Ankara and its Western allies classify as a "terrorist" organization, operates rear bases in Iraq's north.

Since 1984 the PKK has waged an insurgency in Türkiye that has claimed tens of thousands of lives.

The Turkish Armed Forces (TSK) regularly conducts cross-border operations in northern Iraq, a region where PKK terrorists have hideouts and bases, from where they carry out attacks in Türkiye.

In its more than 40-year terror campaign against Türkiye, the PKK – listed as a terrorist organization by Türkiye, the United States and the European Union – has been responsible for the deaths of 40,000 people, including women and children.