UPDATE - Celik: Turkey favors EU free from double standards

UPDATES WITH FURTHER QUOTES FROM CELIK

By Esra Kaymak Avci and Sorwar Alam

ANKARA (AA) - Turkey wants to be part of an EU based on the union’s founding democratic principles -- not an EU dominated by right-wing populists, EU Minister Omer Celik said Wednesday.

“Sometimes they ask me if Turkey wants to be a part of Europe,” Celik told Anadolu Agency's Editors’ Desk.

“I tell them the word Europe is important if you ask that question. Which Europe? If you mean Sarkozy’s, Le Pen’s, Wilders’ Europe, Turkey never wants to be within such an EU and will never see it as legitimate.

“However, Turkey wants to be a natural part of Europe that is integrated with political values and free from double standards on human rights and democracy, within a framework of peace and stability that the founding fathers created.”

The rise of right-wing populists across Europe, many of them espousing anti-Muslim and anti-migrant rhetoric, has alarmed Turkey in recent months.

Celik said Europe was moving away from its founding values and becoming introverted, paving the way for right-wing extremism, which he compared to the extreme views of terror groups such as Daesh.

This drift into populism was aided by a leadership crisis in Europe, he added. “Europe is facing a leadership crisis but we cannot say that the EU is collapsing,” he said.

The cancellation of rallies in countries such as Germany, Austria and the Netherlands due to be attended by Turkish government ministers campaigning for constitutional change in Turkey has also caused concern in Ankara.

- Cancelled rallies

The rallies for Turkish nationals living overseas were arranged to explain what the proposed changes mean and their cancellation has been seen by Ankara as an example of double standards in Europe.

He accused the German federal government of “systematic blocking” to prevent ministers from the Justice and Development (AK) Party from addressing crowds, referring to the creation of a “Berlin Wall” between Germany and Turkey.

Turkish politicians have conducted campaigning among Europe’s Turkish communities for the past three elections, Celik said.

He accused decision-makers in Germany of falling under the influence of terrorist groups such as the PKK and the Fetullah Terrorist Organization.

Ankara accuses the latter of orchestrating last July’s coup attempt and the PKK has conducted a terror campaign against Turkley for more than three decades.

“Whenever there is a Daesh attack in Turkey, Turkish flags are flown on buildings in Germany,” Celik said. “But if it’s a PKK attack, they don’t do it.”

Celik said Turkey, which applied for EU membership in 1987 and began accession talks in 2005, considered EU principles to be in line with its national interest.