We have difficult times. All of us know very well that apart from the
meeting of today, both us, Turkey, but also the region, Turkish people, the
European people are all living in very difficult times. And I believe it is
important to frame the day - that many describe as an important day - to frame
the day of today in the broader picture. And it is a broader picture that sees
us working closely with Turkey on many difficult issues, and very important for
all of us.
From Syria, which is the most urgent one, also because we always say we
have to tackle the root causes of the refugee crisis - that is number one, to
the internal situation in Turkey. Turkey comes out of a long electoral
transition, now we have a government that is there to stay for some years and
it is important for us to have a full-fledged dialogue with them on all the
relevant issues. Obviously migration and the refugee crisis is one, but also
others, including the revitalisation of the accession talks - you know we have
been working on opening Chapters.
This comes together with the new investment from the Turkish side on basic
fundamental elements like human rights, media freedom, and I would like to
stress in particular the need to re-start the Kurdish peace process. This was
something that was on the table for two years after an initiative that
President Erdoğan took at the time. It is important to revitalise it and the
European Union will do this, will give all the support to restart the peace
process with the Kurds.
Let me say especially in these hours, after the killing of Mr Tahir Elci -
that I would like to stigmatise as a terrible thing and express my condolences
and my sympathy to his family, the people that have suffered and are suffering
because of his killing: It is important even more today to restart the peace
process with the Kurds. It is important for Turkey, it is important for the
region, and it is important for the European Union.
So after today we will obviously work on the refugee crisis. There is money
that we intend to give to Turkey for the refugees. I would like to make this
very clear - and we have done this, are doing the same with Lebanon and
with Jordan: to show solidarity in this difficult task of welcoming and
protecting refugees on our own territories. But from today onwards we will also
- I will personally - work on High Level Dialogue with Turkey comprising all
the different and sometimes difficult issues we have on the table with them. All of them, none
excluded.
Questions and Answers
On Turkey – Russia tensions after downing of Russian jet.
You know that I called the very same day first of all my friend, the
Secretary General of NATO, to make sure that we have same kind of approach -
scaling down the risks of escalation and calming and trying to calm down the
situation, which was something that NATO I believe did in the meeting held that
day. And also I was in contact that very same day with the Turkish Foreign
Minister, that I will be happy to see here again today, and with the Russian
Foreign Minister Lavrov that I will also meet later this week, to make sure
that this doesn't affect the political perspectives we have finally found in
Vienna with talks that see all of us sitting around the table.
Let me stress this very clearly. It would be a terrible mistake if, out of
tensions on the ground that can be very high and very difficult to manage, we
cancel or we downgrade the level of diplomatic and political engagement. The
real way of defeating Da’esh in the long run is guaranteeing a political
transition in Damascus, a ceasefire in Syria and unity of forces inside and
outside Syria to fight against Dae’sh and al-Nusra. I believe we have to
protect this political space we have finally created.
Does the EU need Turkey more than before?
No, we need each other. Turkey and Europe need each other. We are facing
the same problems from the war in Syria, to terrorism to the stability or
instability of the region. We need each other. We can be partners. We have to
put all the issues we have on the table. All together.
Thanks!
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