Reasons not to end EU-Turkey talks

In an Op-Ed published by EUobserver, EFD Senior Policy Advisor Dr Demir Murat Seyrek and EPC Senior Policy Analyst Amanda Paul suggest a number of reasons why the EU should not suspend talks with Turkey.

"Firstly, freezing a process that was more or less killed off by the EU itself years ago will have absolutely no positive result on developments unfolding in Turkey.

Secondly, the EU would be abandoning democratic forces in Turkey for whom the EU anchor still remains important despite the leverage that the EU has lost over the country.

Thirdly, it would more or less kill the negotiations for a settlement of the Cyprus problem, which are presently in a very important and delicate stage with hopes - albeit slim ones - that a peace deal could be agreed by the end of the year.

Finally, it would risk further instability in a region already at boiling point'."

This article is in English and can be read here.