Western Balkans is a key priority for Austria and its foreign and European policy, as well as its presidency over the EU, said Sebastian Kurz, Austrian Chancellor who added he supports an urgent cease of negotiations on Turkey’s EU accession.

“Providing an opportunity and a reliable EU accession process to the Western Balkans is in the political, economic and security interest of the European bloc,” Kurz told the Greek daily “ Katimerini.”

He said the EU should cease accession talks with Turkey and look for some other ways of cooperation with this country.

Kurz noted that in the past several years, Turkey has gradually distanced itself from Europe and its values, adding that Austria always had an honest relationship with Ankara.

Austrian Chancellor welcomed the agreement between Greece and Macedonia on Macedonia’s name-change, stressing that Austria supports EU’s enlargement to the Western Balkans which was also pointed out by Johannes Hahn, EU’s Commissioner for European Neighbourhood Policy and Enlargement Negotiations.

“We sincerely welcome the agreement between the two sides. It shows that constant negotiations and diplomacy work,” Kurz said.