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Erdogan says Türkiye could 'part ways' with EU if necessary
Updated 19:59, 16-Sep-2023
CGTN

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Ankara could "part ways" with the European Union if necessary when asked about the contents of a European Parliament report on Türkiye.

The report, adopted earlier this week at the European Parliament's plenary session, said Türkiye's accession process with the bloc cannot resume under current circumstances and called for the EU to explore "a parallel and realistic framework" for its ties with Ankara.

Oliver Varhelyi, European commissioner for neighborhood and enlargement, said in his remarks on the report that "in line with the decision of the European Council, the accession negotiations with Türkiye remain at a standstill. Türkiye's refusal to implement the rulings of the European Court of Human Rights is particularly troubling."

"The EU is trying to break away from Türkiye," Erdogan told reporters ahead of a trip to the United States. "We will make our evaluations against these developments and if necessary, we can part ways with the EU."

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Wednesday slammed the report as "a collection of unfounded allegations and prejudices based on disinformation by anti-Türkiye circles" in a statement.

(With input from Reuters)

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