German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said he
favors continuing Turkey’s European Union membership
bid.
“Whether Turkey grows closer or distances itself from the EU is
not a decision that can be taken in any European capital. It is a
decision that needs to be taken by Turkey,” Steinmeier said at a
joint news conference with his Turkish counterpart Mevlut
Cavusoglu.
“I personally favor a good and close cooperation based on trust
... I wish these relations to continue,” said.
Steinmeier was speaking in Ankara a day after EU foreign
ministers struggled to forge a common stance on Turkey amid
deepening concerns about rights abuses, and the Turkish President
Recep Tayyip Erdogan suggested calling a referendum next year on
whether his country should join the bloc.