Several European capitals are critical of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s crackdown on demonstrations in Turkey to the point where dialogue between Ankara and the EU on Turkish accession may be undermined.
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle has declared that he expects Erdoğan to adopt “a calmer policy, that respects European values.”
In a June 12 statement, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs Catherine Ashton argued that for the EU: “This is not the moment to disengage from Turkey but to engage more closely.” However, according to diplomatic sources in Brussels, accession negotiations with Turkey are unlikely to resume on the planned date of June 26.
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