- Title: Turkey says EU report does not help EU-Turkey ties
- Date: 9th November 2016
- Summary: ANKARA, TURKEY (NOVEMBER 9, 2016) (REUTERS) TURKISH MINISTER FOR EUROPEAN UNION AFFAIRS, OMER CELIK, ARRIVING FOR NEWS CONFERENCE REPORTERS TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH EU MINISTER, OMER CELIK, SAYING: "Unfortunately some sections of the report are far from constructive and lack objectivity, raising serious doubts about its impartiality. Unfortunately, the parts on political benchmarks as well as judiciary and basic rights in particular are far away from objectivity and reality." REPORTERS TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH EU MINISTER, OMER CELIK, SAYING: "Unfortunately, the European Union is behind the vision of its founders. Some of its institutions are managed by ineligible people who fail to maintain the values introduced by the founders of the European Union. Therefore, for the moment, the European Union is not an institution that could broaden its vision." REPORTERS TAKING NOTES (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) TURKISH EU MINISTER, OMER CELIK, SAYING: "The report does not serve to benefit EU-Turkey ties and it is far from the perspective of accession negotiations. The headstone of our relations is the (perspective of) accession negotiations." REPORTERS LISTENING CELIK LEAVING
- Embargoed: 24th November 2016 15:23
- Keywords: Turkey European Union progress report relations
- Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
- City: ANKARA, TURKEY
- Country: Turkey
- Topics: European Union,Government/Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA00157Q7CCN
- Aspect Ratio: 16:9
- Story Text: Turkey on Wednesday (November 9) dismissed the European Union's latest report on its long-running membership bid as "far from constructive" and lacking objectivity in parts, after the bloc voiced concern about its crackdown on opponents since a failed July coup.
Turkey's minister for EU Affairs, Omer Celik, told a news conference in Ankara after the report was released that it had been written in a way that did not "serve to benefit EU-Turkey ties", and accused the bloc of lacking the vision of its founders.
In its most hard-hitting annual report, the European Union said Turkey had rolled back the independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression and other fundamental democratic standards since the coup attempt. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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