EU must 'avoid rupture' with Turkey, says French President
The EU must avoid any break in relations with Turkey, French President Emmanuel Macron said at the start of a two-day visit to Greece on Thursday.
He added, in speaking to the Greek daily Kathimerini, that Turkey remained an ''essential partner'' on migration and terror issues. ''Turkey has objectively distanced itself from the European Union in the past few months, with some alarming deviations that cannot be without consequence, in regard to customs union, for example. But I would like to see a rift avoided as it is an important partner in many crises we face jointly, and I am specifically referring to the migration challenge and the terrorist threat. I address the issue by maintaining very regular contacts with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan,'' he said.
After her televised debate with Social Democrat rival Martin Schulz, German Chancellor Angela Merkel had said in recent days that the European Council meeting in October will have to decide whether negotiations for Turkey to join the EU should remain open or not.
Source: Ansamed
