Mevlüt Çavuşoğlu made the remarks after attending a NATO foreign ministers meeting, noting the group includes Turkey’s Ambassador Tacan Ildem, who has been working as NATO Assistant Secretary General for Public Diplomacy.
“WE EXPECT SINCERITY AND HONESTY FROM EU”
Çavuşoğlu recalled that Turkey has fulfilled all its duties under the March 18, 2016 EU-Turkey refugee agreement while the EU has not. “We expect sincerity and honesty from the EU. We tell them to think in the long run because this is not just an issue of migration,” he said. He noted that the EU should do its part on issues such as visa liberalization, updating the Customs Union Agreement and counter-terrorism.
Çavuşoğlu said an agreement would be made if the EU is sincere in this matter. “If the EU is not sincere and does not keep its promises, it should not have any expectations of support from Turkey in this matter. This is not a threat. It is a very clear, sincere view and explanation. This is Turkey’s position,” he said.
Çavuşoğlu noted that many NATO members had mentioned Turkey’s acts of solidarity in recent times. He said NATO Secretary General Jens Stoltenberg and other foreign ministers appreciated Turkey sending medical aid to fight the novel coronavirus in Italy and Spain.