Merkel: EU To Cut Aid To Turkey Over Democratic Backsliding
Source: ASSOCIATED PRESS
By THE ASSOCIATED PRESS BRUSSELS Oct 19, 2017, 7:38 PM ET
German Chancellor Angela Merkel said early Friday that European Union leaders have agreed to reduce financial assistance for helping Turkey get ready for possible EU membership due to that country's violations of the rule of law and human rights.
But Merkel also stressed that she wants to keep talking to Turkey and said there is no consensus among leaders of the 28-member bloc to completely end membership talks with Turkey, which have been underway since 2005.
Speaking at a summit in Brussels, Merkel criticized the "absolutely unsatisfying human rights situation" in Turkey, but said she wanted to "avoid a showdown" and does not wish "to break bridges" with the NATO country.
Merkel arrived at the summit Thursday saying she considers Turkey's developments on democracy "very negative, not only because many Germans are under arrest."
Read more: http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/merkel-eu-aid-cut-turkey-democratic-backsliding-50584997
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)Turkey needs to have its ego bruised.
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)becoming bff if reports I keep seeing are correct.
LeftInTX
(24,560 posts)Turkey and Russia haven't gotten along for the last two hundred years.
In recent years there has been a Russian-Syrian alliance. Turkey and Syria don't get along.
But Russia has oil and that is a big factor in the Russian-Syrian alliance.
It also makes sense that Turkey would want some of the oil too.
Purveyor
(29,876 posts)the latest being the S-400 missile defense system.
At this rate I wouldn't be surprised to leave the NATO alliance...
Xolodno
(6,341 posts)...and we know how Putin uses bafoons.
Russia's centuries old goal...as it views itself as the third Rome, is to liberate Constantinople. Had the Soviet Revolution not occurred and stayed in the war, there would be no Istanbul.
If Turkey gets itself kicked out or walks out of NATO, they can count themselves screwed. Greece would almost immediately start a war...excuse me, aggravate a war AND request aid from a fellow Orthodox nation, Russia. Ankara would be forced to relinquish. Putin might be playing Edrogan like a balalaika.