EU should support Turkey more in fight against terrorism, deputy FM says

Deputy Foreign Minister Faruk Kaymakçı said Thursday that Ankara and Brussels needed to implement more joint efforts in assisting Turkey in its fight to combat terrorism, adding that the EU should not only focus on the fight against Daesh, but also increase its efforts against the Gülenist Terror Group (FETÖ), PKK and its Syrian affiliate, the YPG.

"The EU has not cooperated with us efficiently. When we declared Operation Peace Spring, we weren't able to receive as much as cooperation as we hoped for in terms of the fight against terrorism," Kaymakçı told representatives of foreign press outlets in Ankara.

On Oct. 9, Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring to eliminate YPG terrorists from the area east of the Euphrates River in northern Syria, in order to secure Turkey's borders, aid in the safe return of Syrian refugees and ensure Syria's territorial integrity.

Turkey has long accused EU countries of indifference over the PKK, despite the group being recognized as a terrorist organization by the bloc.

Kaymakçı also said that there had taken place some discussions of privileged partnership status for candidate countries such as Turkey and Ukraine, as well as for the U.K., if Brexit is instituted, yet Ankara refuses to accept anything but full membership.

Turkey applied for the EU membership in 1987, with accession talks launched in 2005. However, negotiations stalled in 2007, due to the objections by the Greek Cypriot administration over divisions still present on the island, along with opposition from Germany and France.

To gain membership, Turkey has to successfully conclude negotiations on 35 policy chapters that involve reforms and the adoption of European standards.

Stressing that the rise of Greens and Liberals in the European Parliament as a positive development due to their pro-enlargement stance, in spite of criticisms on Turkey, Kaymakçı underlined that Ankara is also optimistic on the appointment of a new rapporteur on Turkey, Spanish politician Nacho Sanchez Amor.

"So far, he has made very smart and balanced statements," Kaymakçı said.