EU suspension of Turkey's accession talks to be suicide

By Tugrul Cam

ANAKRA (AA) - A decision to cut or pause negotiations on Turkey’s EU accession process will be “suicide” for the bloc, EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik said on Wednesday.

Speaking at Anadolu Agency’s Editors’ Desk in capital Ankara, Celik said: “If the only decision taken by the European bloc, which cannot even solve its own problems, will be to cut or pause negotiations with Turkey, it will be a suicide.”

Celik said the decision to cut monetary assistance “does not mean anything” to Turkey.

“Talking about cutting of pre-accession assistance decreases EU's credibility,” he added.

Turkey applied for membership in the European Economic Community (a precursor to the EU) in 1987. It became eligible for EU membership in 1997 and accession talks began in 2005.

To gain membership, Turkey has to successfully conclude negotiations with the EU in 35 policy chapters that involve reforms and the adoption of European standards.