- Title: GERMANY: The EU needs Turkey as much as Turkey needs the EU, says Erdogan
- Date: 4th February 2014
- Summary: BERLIN, GERMANY (FEBRUARY 04, 2014) (REUTERS) ERDOGAN'S CAR WITH TURKISH FLAG PARKED OUTSIDE TURKISH FLAG ON CAR MASKED GERMAN POLICEMAN WITH MACHINE GUN IN STREET ERDOGAN LEAVING BUILDING AND GETTING INTO CAR ERDOGAN WAVING THROUGH CAR WINDOW AS CONVOY DRIVES OFF
- Embargoed: 19th February 2014 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Germany
- Country: Germany
- Topics: General
- Reuters ID: LVA5VZC7D0S8D8VAWWJ9QLQXNA8P
- Story Text: Turkey does not need the European Union "but rather, the European Union also needs Turkey," Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said in Berlin on Tuesday (February 04).
Speaking at the DGAP think tank in Berlin, Erdogan said "the financial crisis, the global crisis, the Arab Spring and the events in Syria and Egypt have shown that Turkey does not need the European Union but rather, the European Union also needs Turkey."
The Turkish premier demanded Germany do more to support Ankara's aspirations to join the EU.
"We wish for Germany to do more than it did so far. Until now, it's not sufficient," Erdogan said.
Last month, Erdogan made his first visit to Brussels in five years and faced sharp criticism from European Union leaders over a crackdown on the judiciary and police that has rattled investors.
Erdogan has purged hundreds of police and moved to impose tighter control on the courts in response to a corruption inquiry that has rocked his centre-right AK Party, which has Islamist roots and has been in power for more than a decade.
The crackdown has soured ties with the EU just at a time when Turkey's long-stalled bid to join the 28-nation bloc had appeared to be regaining some momentum. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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