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| Brave faces in front of the camera: Bulgaria’s Prime Minister Boyko Borissov, European Council President Donald Tusk, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker |
European Union leaders said talks with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday offered no answers to a long list of concerns including over Turkeyโs intervention in Syria and the jailing of journalists at home.
At a summit that host Bulgaria described as โcharged with great tensionโ, the bloc vowed to keep funds flowing for a refugee deal with Ankara, but disappointed Turkish demands for deeper trade ties or visa-free travel to Europe.
Despite criticism from European governments of what many view as Erdoganโs growing authoritarianism, EU leaders left the door open to Turkeyโs stalled bid for membership to the bloc, but said only he could act to remove the obstacles to accession.
โI raised all our concerns, as you know it was a long listโ, European Council President Donald Tusk told reporters after the talks held in the Black Sea port city of Varna.
โIf you are asking me if we achieved some solutions or compromises โ my answer is: no,โ he added. โOur position is clear โ only progress on these issues will allow us to improve EU-Turkey relations, including the accession processโ.
Erdogan, who has alarmed the West with a massive purge since a failed coup attempt in July 2016, remains an important ally in the U.S.-led NATO alliance, the fight against Islamic militants and as a destination for many Syrians fleeing war.
Turkey shares borders with Iraq and Syria as well as influence with Russia in the Black Sea region, but the EU is still its biggest foreign investor and trading partner.
EU leaders cited these geostrategic interest as common ground for greater cooperation with Turkey, despite differences.
โWhile our relationship is going through difficult times, in areas where we do cooperate, we cooperate well,โ Tusk told reporters.
STRATEGIC PARTNERS
Over a two-hour dinner of โSlav saladโ, turbot fished from the Black Sea and local wines, Erdogan said he pressed EU counterparts for progress in talks on letting Turks visit Europe without visas and a deeper customs union.
โWe hope to have left the difficult times with the EU behindโ, Erdogan said. โTurkey and the EU are long-term strategic partners. It would be a serious mistake for the bloc to push Turkey out of its enlargement politicsโ.
Only on Erdoganโs plea for EU funds under a March 2016 deal to take in migrants fleeing the countryโs war did the blocโs leaders convey their full support.
However, on the issue of Turkeyโs membership negotiations, which began in 2005, then stalled for five years and have now effectively collapsed, they seemed to be talking past each other.
Brussels considers the EU membership bid a separate process focused on rule of law, press freedoms and economic reforms. EU officials say Turkeyโs post-coup crackdown on civil rights has taken it further from complying with EU membership.
Objections to Turkeyโs military sweep northwest into Syriaโs Afrin region and a standoff over Mediterranean gas with EU members Greece and Cyprus have added to grievances.
Erdogan has also made more foes in Europe in the past year over what some view as hostile rhetoric, including comparing the Dutch and German governments to Nazis, with some calling for an end to accession talks.
