Turkiye’s relations with EU, France discussed in panel

By Yusuf Ozcan

PARİS (AA) – A panel was held in the French capital Wednesday in which relations between the European Union and Turkiye were discussed within the scope of France’s term presidency of the EU.

The majority of the Turkish people still think EU membership would be beneficial both for the bloc and their country, said Turkiye’s Ambassador to France Ali Onaner.

Onaner said that of Turkiye’s European partners, France is the country with which Turkiye has had the most problems.

He asserted that the disputes between Turkiye and France over the Eastern Mediterranean originated from different policies of the countries in Libya and Syria.

The problem in Syria is that Turkiye’s allies cooperate with the YPG/PKK terrorist group, which is responsible for the deaths of over 40,000 people in Turkiye, he said, adding that both countries currently share the same priorities in Libya.

Onaner also highlighted that the problems between Turkiye and Greece are of a bilateral character and should be resolved between them.

Pressing Turkiye under the pretext of EU solidarity would not contribute to the solution, he added.

Another participant, Didier Billion, a senior political scientist and expert on Turkish studies, said that double standards towards Turkiye by the EU regarding its accession process rightfully frustrated Turkish citizens.

Even though commercial relations between the European Union and Turkiye continue to improve, the accession process was de facto halted, he noted.

Billion also complained that Turkiye’s EU membership was instrumentalized in French politics to garner votes.

*Writing by Ahmet Gencturk