Brussels, 21/01/2016 (Agence Europe) - MEPs called on Wednesday 20 January for the European Union to be more closely involved in resolving the crisis in the south-east of Turkey, describing the situation there as “deplorable”.
“The EU has to intervene, it has to play the role of conciliator so that the negotiations (peace negotiations with the Kurds) can resume. It's a question of humanity and EU values. We have a responsibility”, argued Renate Sommer (Germany), speaking for the EPP in the debate in Parliament. “It is the Kurdish people who are in danger. The region has become a war zone. It's unacceptable that the EU should take so restrained a position, that we remain silent and close our eyes because of the refugee crisis”, she stated. If the EU does not act, she said, it will risk a fresh influx of refugees, Kurdish refugees this time. More than 200,000 Kurds have already fled the fighting in south-east Turkey.
“It's time the EU launched a strong call for a ceasefire so that talks can resume and so that the curfew can be lifted”, added Kati Piri (Netherlands) on behalf of the S&D. For the GUE, Cypriot MEP Takis Hadjigeorgiou said that the EU should send a clear message to Turkey. Marie-Christine Vergiat (GUE, France) called for an official European Parliament delegation to visit the country as quickly as possible.
“I'm ashamed. Ashamed that the EU lacks the courage to defend Kurdish citizens and protect them. They are the only reliable allies against Daesh and we are stabbing them in the back”, said Mark Demesmaeker (Belgium), for the ECR, calling for protection of minorities to be a precondition for Turkey's accession talks. “The EU must always be firm on human rights. … Under no circumstances must there be any trade-off of human rights for negotiations with Turkey”, stressed Ska Keller (Germany) for the Greens/EFA.
Enlargement Negotiations Commissioner Johannes Hahn said that the high representative and he would be in Ankara on Monday 25 January for a high-level dialogue with the Turkish authorities, at which the situation would be among the issues discussed. (Original version in French by Camille-Cerise Gessant)