Ankara irked by new EU conclusions on Turkey

Turkey on Friday expressed its annoyance with the European Union following the publication of the conclusions of the leaders’ summit in Brussels.

According to Daily Sabah, the Turkish Foreign Ministry issued a statement accusing the EU of delay tactics and a lack of will in adopting a so-called positive agenda. 

“The EU’s acknowledgment that the tension [in the East Med] has decreased and delaying taking concrete decisions to implement the positive agenda, including updating the Customs Union, is seen as a delaying tactic, lack of will and abuse of EU membership by one or two member-states. Avoiding reference to our candidacy status in the text also confirms this view,” Daily Sabah quoted the ministry as saying.

The statement also lashed out at the EU with regards to its position on the Cyprus issue, saying that the “summit resolutions are, as usual, a repetition of the views of the Greek duo.” 

“The EU once again ignored the Turkish Cypriots and their equal rights. As long as this attitude of the EU continues, it is not possible to make a constructive contribution to the Cyprus issue,” it said, according to the Turkish news site.

Ankara also appears displeased with the EU’s statement with regard to migration, saying that the funding plan being put forward “is for Syrian refugees, not Turkey” and dismissing it as a step “to ensure the EU’s own peace and security.”