Suspension of Turkey's EU accession would be 'suicide'

ANKARA A decision to cut or pause negotiations on Turkey’s EU accession process would be “suicide” for the bloc, EU Affairs Minister Omer Celik said on Wednesday. Speaking at Anadolu Agency’s Editors’ Desk in Ankara, Celik said: “If the only decision taken by the European bloc, which cannot even solve its own problems, would be to cut or pause negotiations with Turkey, it will be suicide.” His statement comes days after German Chancellor Angela Merkel asked her fellow leaders to cut Instrument for Pre-Accession Assistance (IPA) for Turkey. However, to stop such payments would require a joint decision by EU member states to freeze or stop accession talks with Ankara. “Talking about cutting pre-accession assistance decreases the EU's credibility,” Celik added He said the decision to cut monetary assistance “does not mean anything” to Turkey. “They are talking about cutting or reducing IPA aid. That does not mean anything. This is something which decreases the EU's credibility”. Turkey is expected to receive €4.45 billion ($5.23 billion) from the EU in pre-accession funding in the 2014-2020 period. However, so far both sides signed deals for on €1.78 billion ($20.9 billion), according to Celik. Besides Germany, Austria and the Netherlands have also seen anti-Turkey rhetoric during national elections in recent months. Celik stated that Austria's anti-Turkey stance in particular could not be possibly explained through political analysis. "Austria's obsession with Turkey has become a psychiatric obsession," he said. Celik said those who spoke out against Turkey’s membership bid actually did “great damage to the EU’s credibility”. He said the EU should take decisions according to its principles rather than “acting on the notion of horizontal solidarity. "If you are going to act on the notion of horizontal solidarity rather following the [EU] principles, then it is the United States of Europe, not the EU anyway." Turkey applied for membership in the European Economic Community (a precursor to the EU) in 1987. It became eligible for EU membership in 1997 and accession talks began in 2005. To gain membership, Turkey has to successfully conclude negotiations with the EU in 35 policy chapters that involve reforms and the adoption of European standards.