Turkey wants cooperation, not monitoring process: EU minister

ANKARA

Ankara is not in a position to accept political blackmail, Turkey’s EU Minister Ömer Çelik has said, amid possibility the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe (PACE) could degrade Turkey’s status and reopen its monitoring process, which could lead to a suspension of its accession to the bloc. 

The Turkish government believes that PACE should not reopen its monitoring process for Turkey, he said, stressing that instead they wanted an attitude of cooperation. 

“We want to call on those that will make the decision. What is your agenda of solidarity for a country whose sovereignty and democracy are under threat?” Çelik told reporters on April 18.

“Have you displayed cooperation with us and has Turkey rejected it? On the contrary, you have adopted a negative and exclusionist attitude,” he said.

Çelik criticized European institutions for failing to lend support to Turkey over its fight against terrorism after the July 15, 2016, failed coup attempt. 

“If there are things that we should progress on, let’s clearly put its name and decide on a method, however, Turkey will not accept political blackmail,” he said, adding that Ankara is ready to cooperate and form dialogue with the EU. 

He added that the EU and Turkey should discuss all the aspects of the current state of affairs between Ankara and Brussels at a leader’s summit.