EU foreign ministers welcome Turkey report

BRUSSELS

EU foreign ministers on Monday welcomed a new report on the bloc’s future relationship with Turkey, said foreign policy Josep Borrell, who prepared the report.

Speaking at a press conference after a meeting of EU foreign ministers, the top EU diplomat said the report provided a good basis “for the debate of EU heads and governments,” looking ahead to the EU leaders’ summit this Thursday and Friday.

“The report recognizes that since last December, we have seen some signs and steps towards the de-escalation in the eastern Mediterranean from the Turkish leadership,” Borrell said, referring to a maritime dispute between Turkey and Greece.

“At the same time, the domestic situation in Turkey remains a serious concern, including the threats to the HDP [People's Democracy Party] and the withdrawal of Turkey from the Council of Europe Convention on Preventing and Combating Violence Against Women and Domestic Violence, better known as the Istanbul Convention,” he added.

“These kinds of actions take Turkey out of the European path”, Borrell noted.

Last week Turkey’s top prosecutor filed an indictment seeking to shut down the HDP, calling it an undemocratic party that colludes with the terrorist PKK and seeks to destroy the unity of the state.

Turkey last week also withdrew from the Istanbul Convention, saying that domestic legislation provides ample protection to women from domestic violence.

Borrell admitted that there is a mix of positive and negative approaches that EU governments had to take into consideration.

But he also stressed that “we want to have a relationship with Turkey as a candidate country, a neighbor, as an important country with whom we want to have the best relationship, defending the interests and values of member states.”

The EU foreign ministers only assessed the report, as the final decision will be on EU leaders meeting on Thursday and Friday.

Turkey has been an EU candidate since 2005.