Erdogan claims EU treatment of Turkey is unfair
The European Union has treated Turkey unfairly, Turkey’s prime minister said today, a day after EU ministers agreed on a partial freeze of Ankara’s membership talks over its refusal to open ports to trade with EU member Cyprus.
“The decision of the EU (ministers) is an injustice against Turkey,” Recep Tayyip Erdogan said in an address to members of his ruling party in parliament.
“I have to say that Turkey-EU relations are going through a serious test, despite all our efforts to open up the blockage,” he said.
EU foreign ministers yesterday agreed to freeze eight of 35 negotiating issues in entry negotiations relating to transport and trade, a decision that will significantly slow Turkey’s membership talks.
The decision was taken to penalise Ankara for refusing to honour a 2005 pact to open its ports and airports to 10 new EU members – including Cyprus, whose Greek Cypriot government Ankara does not recognise.
EU leaders are expected to endorse the foreign ministers’ decision at a two-day summit that begins on Thursday.
Erdogan said the EU was incapable of resolving the EU dispute and said the United Nations must intervene.
“The European Union will never be a site for a comprehensive solution to Cyprus. We are on the side of a just and lasting solution from the United Nations.”
He said however, that Turkey was determined to press ahead with reforms for EU membership.
“In the period in front of us, we know very well what we have to do – we have to carry out our reforms with the same decisiveness.”
