The Austrian foreign Minister called for a suspension of talks with Turkey about joining the EU
Sebastian Kurz stressed that the EU cannot afford to “fall into dependence on Turkey.”
BERLIN, July 23. /TASS/. Turkey is increasingly moving away from the European Union, Brussels must take a clear position towards Ankara.
This was stated by Austrian foreign Minister Sebastian Kurz, published on Sunday an interview with German newspaper Welt am Sonntag.
“My prediction is that this Turkey will increasingly move away from Europe, comes true”, he said. The Minister noted that it “will continue to advocate for ending the negotiations on accession to the EU.”
“The EU must finally take a clear position in relation to Turkey and instead offer to join the community, to strive for orderly cooperation with it,” he said. “We can’t afford to fall into dependence on Turkey,” said Kurtz.
According to him, it is important that the EU itself was able to protect its own external borders.
The head of the Austrian foreign Ministry condemned the “wave of arrests and dismissals in Turkey after attempted coup” last year and welcomed the measures against Ankara, which this week said his German counterpart, Sigmar Gabriel.
“A few weeks ago, he criticized me for my clear position and was accused of populism,” said Kurtz.
July 20, Gabriel said that Germany will reconsider policy toward Turkey, including in the economic sphere. The latest deterioration in bilateral relations occurred due to the arrest in Turkey of six human rights defenders, among whom were the German Peter Steudtner. They are accused of promoting terrorist groups.