The European Union should take concrete steps to enhance bilateral ties with Turkey and the customs union deal must be updated, Foreign Minister Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu said Thursday, Daily Sabah reports. 

Speaking at a joint news conference with his German counterpart Heiko Maas in Berlin, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey expects constructive steps.

Maas, meanwhile, said Germany supports constructive Turkey-EU dialogue.

In response to a question about the so-called "Sofa Gate" scandal, Çavuşoğlu said Turkey strictly followed protocol and was not responsible for the crisis.

"We are saddened to see intra-EU tensions exposed during the meeting with our president; reason for 'Sofa Gate' was the competition between EU’s branches of council and commission," Çavuşoğlu said. He noted

Çavuşoğlu also said Turkey and Germany have reached a consensus on the withdrawal of mercenaries from Libya.

News.Az