EU-Turkey relations: von der Leyen and Michel meet with Erdogan
Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel during their videoconference interview with Recep Tayyip Erdogan on March 19, 2021. AP - Stephanie Lecocq
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In Europe, a videoconference took place this Friday, March 19, between the Turkish President on one side, the President of the Council and the President of the European Commission on the other, one week before a new European summit, where he in particular, EU-Turkey relations will be discussed.
Charles Michel and Ursula von der Leyen wanted to probe with Recep Tayep Erdogan on the state of mind of his government.
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From our correspondent in Brussels,
Pierre Benazet
There is no guarantee that Ursula von der Leyen and Charles Michel have succeeded in establishing whether Recep Tayyip Erdogan's easing of attitude towards the EU is sincere and lasting or linked only to the loss of American support. since
the departure of Donald Trump.
Facing Turkey, the Europeans are preparing what they call a positive agenda and a negative agenda.
It is the euphemism of diplomats, this Friday, to speak of a policy of the carrot and the stick.
On the one hand, the relaunch of the customs union and the liberalization of visas, as in the 2016 agreement, on the other hand, possible sanctions.
The head of European diplomacy, Josep Borrell, was tasked by the 27 with a report on the attitude to adopt vis-à-vis Turkey, following the multiple tensions of 2020, Cyprus, Greece, Karabakh, Syria, Libya, but also human rights and the rule of law in Turkey itself.
On this last point, for example, the EU has warned that the procedure initiated for
the ban of the main pro-Kurdish party
would violate the rights of millions of voters in Turkey.
For Josep Borrell, this adds to the EU's concerns over the decline in fundamental rights and undermines the credibility of Turkish commitments for reform.
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Turkey
European Union
Recep Tayyip Erdogan