The prospect of Turkey joining the European Union as a fully-fledged member is "hypocrisy", according to President Emmanuel Macron of France, who added that progress on the application was not possible given human rights concerns.
Mr Macron's remarks came during a tense press conference with Turkish
president Recep Tayyip Erdogan, as the French leader warned against
flouting the rule of law and freedom of expression while his counterpart
accused some writers and journalists of acting as "the gardeners" of
terrorism.
During the exchange, the authoritarian Turkish leader, who ordered the arrest of up 55,000 security force members, judges, academics, journalists and activists in the wake of the 2016 failed coup, said his country was "exhausted" after 54 years in the "antichambre" of the EU.
"When
it comes to saying why, the EU is not really capable of giving
reasons," he claimed, adding that Turkey is currently blocked on 35
"chapters", or policy areas, of the negotiations.
"This is seriously exhausting us and seriously exhausting our nation.
Maybe this will force us to take a decision," he said, without
specifying what that might be. Mr Erdogan said in October that Turkey no
longer needs to join the European Union but added that "we will not be
the side which gives up" on accession talks.
But Mr Macron said that political developments in Turkey were effectively blocking its EU accession bid.
"For relations with the European Union, it is clear that recent
developments and choices allow no progress in the process," Mr Macron
said.
"We must get out of a hypocrisy that consists in thinking that a natural progression towards opening new chapters is possible. It's not true."
Ankara was hoping to warm frosty relations with Europe during Mr Erdogan's trip, but the talks were overshadowed by concerns over Turkey's huge post-coup crackdown and the arrest of journalists.
"We must get out of a hypocrisy that consists in thinking that a natural progression towards opening new chapters is possible. It's not true."
Ankara was hoping to warm frosty relations with Europe during Mr Erdogan's trip, but the talks were overshadowed by concerns over Turkey's huge post-coup crackdown and the arrest of journalists.
Over
140,000 people have been sacked or suspended, accused of links to the
movement run by US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, who is accused
by Ankara of orchestrating the attempted coup.
Neither leader hid his pessimism over the state of Turkey's long-running bid to join the EU.
Mr Macron suggested that the pair should work towards a "partnership" rather than full membership to ensure that "Turkey remains anchored in Europe".
"I hope we can take up a peaceful dialogue that would allow us to build a relationship which is essential in my eyes, both for ourselves and for the region," he added.
After signing multi-billion euro trade agreements and lauding exemplary cooperation in tackling terror, the French president said he had discussed a number of specific cases of journalists and academics currently under arrest.
"Democracies must fully respect the rule of law," said Mr Macron, who has come under domestic fire for receiving his Turkish counterpart in the wake of his post-coup crackdown.
Neither leader hid his pessimism over the state of Turkey's long-running bid to join the EU.
Mr Macron suggested that the pair should work towards a "partnership" rather than full membership to ensure that "Turkey remains anchored in Europe".
"I hope we can take up a peaceful dialogue that would allow us to build a relationship which is essential in my eyes, both for ourselves and for the region," he added.
After signing multi-billion euro trade agreements and lauding exemplary cooperation in tackling terror, the French president said he had discussed a number of specific cases of journalists and academics currently under arrest.
"Democracies must fully respect the rule of law," said Mr Macron, who has come under domestic fire for receiving his Turkish counterpart in the wake of his post-coup crackdown.
Mr Erdogan hit back that some journalists helped nurture terrorists through their writing.
"Terror doesn’t form by itself. Terror and terrorists have gardeners," said the Turkish leader. "These gardeners are those people viewed as thinkers. They water ... from their columns on newspapers and one day, you find, these people show up as a terrorist in front of you."
The talks came as Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called for a fresh start in his country's rocky relationship with Germany, holding out the prospect of closer economic cooperation if ties improved.
But his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel, who will host Mr Cavusoglu for talks on Saturday, made clear Turkey must first release a German-Turkish journalist detained for more than a year without charge.
Only then could arms exports resume, he said."
Telegraph
"Terror doesn’t form by itself. Terror and terrorists have gardeners," said the Turkish leader. "These gardeners are those people viewed as thinkers. They water ... from their columns on newspapers and one day, you find, these people show up as a terrorist in front of you."
The talks came as Turkish foreign minister Mevlut Cavusoglu called for a fresh start in his country's rocky relationship with Germany, holding out the prospect of closer economic cooperation if ties improved.
But his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel, who will host Mr Cavusoglu for talks on Saturday, made clear Turkey must first release a German-Turkish journalist detained for more than a year without charge.
Only then could arms exports resume, he said."
Telegraph
