Turkey and the European Union have officially launched a bid to revive accession talks following years of stagnation.

EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fuele said Thursday the new “positive agenda” should bring fresh dynamics and new momentum to their relations. He spoke in the Turkish capital, Ankara, where he traveled to announce the start of those talks.

During a joint conference with Turkey's EU affairs minister, Egemen Bagis, Fuele said the aim is to keep the accession alive and bring Turkish policy closer to that of the EU. He said the period of stagnation has kept both sides frustrated.

Turkish officials say President Abdullah Gul is scheduled to meet new French President Francois Hollande during a NATO summit in Chicago next week.

Turkey and the European Union began entry negotiations in 2005, but made little progress due to a dispute over the divided island of Cyprus, as well as opposition from France and Germany to mainly Muslim Turkey's membership.

Turkey has also addressed only 13 out of 35 policy chapters or categories, which all EU candidate nations must negotiate prior to membership.

The EU has frozen talks on eight key areas in the lengthy accession process, in an attempt to push Turkey to open its ports to Cyprus.

Turkey does not recognize the Greek Cypriot government, and has sided with the Turkish Cypriot north in a 37-year standoff that has divided the Mediterranean island-nation. Ongoing reconciliation talks begun in 2008 between the Turkish north and Greek Cypriot south have so far failed to produce a settlement.