TEHRAN (Basirat)- Turkish President Erdogan has told parliament his "patience is at and end" over EU membership negotiations, but Austria's foreign minister has hit back saying "it is not the goal that Turkey should join the EU as a full member," but there could be a "tailor-made partnership."
Turkish President Erdogan has told parliament his "patience is at and end" over EU membership negotiations, but Austria's foreign minister has hit back saying "it is not the goal that Turkey should join the EU as a full member," but there could be a "tailor-made partnership."President Recep Tayyip Erdogan this week expressed his exasperation
at the slow progress being made on talks on Turkey's accession into the
European Union, as part of the migrant deal to relocate "irregular
migrants" — those refused asylum — from Greece back to Turkey,
During the opening of parliament in Ankara a few days ago, he demanded a
clear decision of the Europeans about accession. "Our patience is at an
end," Erdogan said.
However, Austria's Foreign Minister, Sebastian Kurz, has told Die
Welt newspaper that full membership of the EU will never come about, but
that Turkey could have some form of associate membership. He claims he
is not alone among EU foreign minister in saying it.
"They say that the accession negotiations must continue, but there will
be no accession at the end of the day. But, in my opinion, it is not the
goal that Turkey should join the EU as a full member."
He went on to say that Turkey could be offered a "tailor-made
partnership," as suggested by former Austrian Chancellor, Wolfgang
Schussel.
In Trouble
The EU-Turkey talks have run into difficulties from the outset. The
original offer — brokered by German Chancellor Angela Merkel — was put
forward to stem the flow of migrants going through Turkey and flooding
into Europe.
Under the deal, the EU would give Turkey US$3.3 billion to take
back irregular migrants from Greece and improve Turkish refugee camps,
in return — on a one-for-one basis — for Syrian refugees from Turkey
being relocated to EU member states.
However, the deal immediately ran into trouble when the UN refugee
agency and many NGOs declared that Turkey was not a safe "third country"
for migrants to be returned to, under the Geneva Convention.
Erdogan's increasing grip on power, clampdown on the media and
opposition following the failed coup in July has led to many EU
politicians saying Turkey does not meet the main criteria for being an
EU member because of the union's provisions for media freedom,
democratic values and freedom of speech.
Moreover, Cyprus is increasingly blocking the accession talks. Nicosia
does not want to give in until the Ankara government makes concessions
to reunite the Islamic island, which has been divided into a Turkish and
a Cypriot part for decades.