Turkey condemns European Parliament vote

Turkey’s Foreign Ministry has condemned a vote, earlier Wednesday, by the European Parliament, recommending the suspension of accession talks. The ministry called the report “one sided and by no means objective.”

MEP’s approved the 2019-20 Report on Turkey condemning the government’s attacks on basic freedoms and human rights, with 480 votes for, 64 against and 150 abstentions. Paragraph 6 of the report’s conclusions, recommending suspension of talks aiming at Turkey’s joining the EU, was approved, 520-72, with 64 abstentions.

The European Parliament’s vote is a non-binding Resolution.

Here’s the Turkish ministry’s full statement:

“This unilateral and by no means objective report, adopted in a period when efforts are made to revive Turkey-EU relations on the basis of EU membership perspective within the framework of a positive agenda, is unacceptable.

“We reject this biased text which not only includes false allegations regarding human rights, democracy, the rule of law, our governmental system and political parties; and views Turkey’s effective, solution-oriented, humanitarian and enterprising foreign policy as a threat; but also reflects the completely unfair and biased Greek and Greek Cypriot arguments regarding the Aegean, the Eastern Mediterranean and Cyprus issue and supports the one-sided and inconsistent Armenian narratives regarding the 1915 events.

“We consider that the wording in the report which is trying to open the future of Turkey’s accession negotiations to discussion, reflects a lack of vision and an effort to deviate from the principle of pacta sunt servanda. It is well known by the EU institutions and the EP members that the standstill in Turkey’s accession negotiations is not due to Turkey’s lack of will for reforms or any shortcoming in assuming the EU acquis, but, rather, to the fact that certain circles have exploited the membership process as an opportunity for political gains against Turkey since the beginning of this process.

“EU membership is a strategic goal for Turkey and will be beneficial for all of Europe and beyond. Turkey will decisively continue its efforts in line with this objective.

“While the EU expresses its appreciation for our efforts, particularly with regard to migration issue, within the scope of the Turkey-EU Statement of 18 March 2016, for which we have fulfilled our commitments, the EU should get out of the vicious circle of not taking any concrete step to fulfil its own commitments in the 18 March Statement, ranging from Turkey’s EU accession process to cooperation on migration.

“As a candidate country, Turkey expects the EP to carry out constructive efforts about how the relations can be improved with Turkey and how it can contribute to Turkey’s EU integration process, rather than being a platform for baseless allegations and blind accusations against Turkey.”

Source: Ekathimerini