Off the wire
• U.S. scientists create skin patch to measure sweat for health  • Urgent: Senior Somali security officer killed, 3 others injured in explosion  • French business leaders sentiment stable in November  • 1st LD-Writethru: China Focus: China to boost rural transport investment to help poverty reduction  • Roundup: Kenya's men, women face new aspects of domestic violence  • Bangladesh maintains minimum age of marriage for girls at 18 yrs  • FLASH: HELICOPTER LOSES CONTACT IN BORNEO OF INDONESIA: NATIONAL SEARCH OFFICE  • 1st LD: MEPs vote for temporary freezing Turkey's accession talks  • Xinhua Insight: The Battle to save China's traditional villages  • Urgent: MEPs vote for temporary freezing Turkey's accession talks  
You are here: 　 Home

2nd LD: MEPs vote for temporary freezing Turkey's accession talks

Xinhua, November 24, 2016 Adjust font size:

Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) on Thursday voted in favor of a non-binding motion to temporarily freeze Turkey's accession talks to join the European Union (EU).

The MEPs urged the European Commission and national governments to halt the ongoing EU membership talks with Turkey which was blamed for its "disproportionate repressive measures" in response to July's failed coup.

The non-legislative resolution was passed by a strong majority, with 479 votes in favor to 37 against, with 107 abstentions.

In the text, MEPs indicated that "Turkey is an important partner of the EU" before qualifying, "But in partnerships, the will to cooperate has to be two-sided (...) Turkey is not showing this political will as the government's actions are further diverting Turkey from its European path."

A temporary freeze on accession talks would require no new negotiating chapters being opened and no new initiatives taken regarding Turkey's EU Negotiation Framework.

The European Parliament has no formal role in triggering such mechanisms, but is required to be informed once it is done. Endit