Daily Sabah logo

Politics
Diplomacy Legislation War On Terror EU Affairs Elections News Analysis
TÜRKİYE
Istanbul Education Investigations Minorities Expat Corner Diaspora
World
Mid-East Europe Americas Asia Pacific Africa Syrian Crisis Islamophobia
Business
Automotive Economy Energy Finance Tourism Tech Defense Transportation News Analysis
Lifestyle
Health Environment Travel Food Fashion Science Religion History Feature Expat Corner
Arts
Cinema Music Events Portrait Reviews Performing Arts
Sports
Football Basketball Motorsports Tennis
Opinion
Columns Op-Ed Reader's Corner Editorial
PHOTO GALLERY
JOBS ABOUT US RSS PRIVACY CONTACT US
© Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2025

Daily Sabah - Latest & Breaking News from Turkey | Istanbul

  • Politics
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • Elections
    • News Analysis
  • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Expat Corner
    • Diaspora
  • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • Islamophobia
  • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
  • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
  • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Reviews
    • Performing Arts
  • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
  • Gallery
  • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
  • TV

Calls to halt Turkey's EU accession talks racist, EU Minister Çelik says

by Daily Sabah with AA

ISTANBUL Nov 07, 2016 - 12:00 am GMT+3
 AA Photo
| AA Photo
by Daily Sabah with AA Nov 07, 2016 12:00 am

EU Minister Ömer Çelik criticized calls by some Western powers to suspend the process for Turkey's EU accession negotiations, while he slammed a recent decision by a Belgian court to refuse to recognize the PKK terrorist organization's activities as terrorism.

Speaking after a meeting with EU member state ambassadors in Ankara on Monday, Çelik condemned the calls to suspend negotiation talks for being racist.

"We do not want to cut ties with the EU. We want to establish stronger relations with Europe" Çelik said.

Çelik criticized the decision -- made by a lower court in Brussels on Thursday and the subject of an appeal the following day by federal prosecutors -- was an attack on human rights.

"The decision by a Belgian court to not recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization is a direct attack on the European Convention on Human Rights," he said.

Çelik also denounced double standards within EU institutions over the PKK, which is recognized as a terrorist organization by the EU, Turkey and U.S.

According to local media, the court had ruled that PKK activities could not be defined as terrorism because an "armed campaign cannot be considered as terrorist acts."

The judgment came in a case against 36 alleged PKK members when the court refused a prosecution request to send the suspects to be tried by a higher criminal court, the 7SUR7 news website reported.

The suspects are accused of kidnapping children from their families in Belgium and other "Western countries" and sending them for training to Greece and Iraq, the website said. They are also accused of forging documents and extortion.

Among those standing trial are Remzi Kartal and Zubeyir Aydar, said to be senior members of the PKK's European arm. They were among PKK suspects arrested in March 2010 in raids on 18 addresses across Belgium.

Belgium has been criticized in the past for failing to act against the PKK. In August, supporters in Brussels were allowed to celebrate the anniversary of the terror group's first attack and five months earlier followers set up tents outside EU buildings ahead of a Turkey-EU summit.

  • shortlink copied
  • Last Update: Nov 07, 2016 11:01 pm
    KEYWORDS
    politics
    The Daily Sabah Newsletter
    Keep up to date with what’s happening in Turkey, it’s region and the world.
    You can unsubscribe at any time. By signing up you are agreeing to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy. This site is protected by reCAPTCHA and the Google Privacy Policy and Terms of Service apply.
    No Image
    Migrants stranded in Bosnia-Herzegovina survive subzero conditions
    PHOTOGALLERY
    • POLITICS
    • Diplomacy
    • Legislation
    • War On Terror
    • EU Affairs
    • News Analysis
    • TÜRKİYE
    • Istanbul
    • Education
    • Investigations
    • Minorities
    • Diaspora
    • World
    • Mid-East
    • Europe
    • Americas
    • Asia Pacific
    • Africa
    • Syrian Crisis
    • İslamophobia
    • Business
    • Automotive
    • Economy
    • Energy
    • Finance
    • Tourism
    • Tech
    • Defense
    • Transportation
    • News Analysis
    • Lifestyle
    • Health
    • Environment
    • Travel
    • Food
    • Fashion
    • Science
    • Religion
    • History
    • Feature
    • Expat Corner
    • Arts
    • Cinema
    • Music
    • Events
    • Portrait
    • Performing Arts
    • Reviews
    • Sports
    • Football
    • Basketball
    • Motorsports
    • Tennis
    • Opinion
    • Columns
    • Op-Ed
    • Reader's Corner
    • Editorial
    • Photo gallery
    • DS TV
    • Jobs
    • privacy
    • about us
    • contact us
    • RSS
    © Turkuvaz Haberleşme ve Yayıncılık 2021