Talks with EU may end, Erdoğan says

Duvar English

Negotiations with the European Union may end, President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said, as he commented on the bloc's recent decision to sanction Turkey over drilling off the coast of Cyprus.

"Hey EU, know this: Turkey is not one of those countries you have come to know until now. We are a country that sits at the negotiating table with you..." Erdoğan told reporters ahead of his visit to Washington on Nov. 12, adding that "these negotiations may suddenly end."

"You may take this lightly, but the these doors [to Europe] will open and these Daesh members will be sent to you. Do not try to threaten Turkey over developments in Cyprus," he also said, using an Arabic acronym for the jihadist group.

"We have already started sending them to you. You're on your own afterwards," he added.

Turkey, a formal candidate to join the EU despite worsening ties, has so far deported 7,500 ISIS militants, Erdoğan said last week, adding that there are currently 1,149 ISIS militants in Turkish prisons.

The repatriation of the jihadists began on Nov. 11.

"Whether they accept them or not, we will continue to send them back," Erdoğan said on Nov. 12.

During his speech, Erdoğan said that the EU should reconsider its attitude towards Turkey, "which keeps ISIS militants in prisons and under control in Syria."

The EU relies on Ankara, which hosts more than 3.6 million refugees, to curb the arrival of migrants into Europe following a 2016 agreement to seal off the Aegean sea route.

Erdoğan has repeatedly warned that Turkey will allow refugees to travel to Europe unless it receives aid from European countries.

EU ties with NATO-ally Turkey have meanwhile worsened after years of stalemate on Ankara's accession bid.

With a worsening record on human rights in the aftermath of a failed coup in 2016, many EU states say Turkey does not meet democratic criteria to join the bloc.

During his speech, Erdoğan commented on the topics that will be discussed with U.S. President Donald Trump during his visit to Washington.

The Turkish President said that the extradition of U.S.-based Islamic preacher Fethullah Gülen, widely believed to have orchestrated the failed coup attempt of 2016, will be the top agenda item.

Saying that the visit takes place in a period that the relations between the NATO allies are tense, Erdoğan noted that cooperation in the fight against ISIS, Kurdistan Workers' Party (PKK) and the People's Protection Units (YPG) will be on the table.

Another issue will be the U.S. approach to the YPG, Erdoğan said, adding that the Turkish side is set to present documents showing that meeting with the leader of YPG-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), Mazloum Kobani, is "wrong."

Turkey launched Operation Peace Spring in northern Syria against the YPG on Oct. 9, following Trump's decision to pull U.S. troops out of the area.

The decision was slammed by both Democrats and Republicans due to the SDF being the main ally in the fight against ISIS.

The offensive was given a halt following a ceasefire agreement between Turkey and the U.S. on Oct. 17, with Trump thanking Erdoğan, as well as Kobani, whose legal name is Ferhat Abdi Şahin.

The agreement stipulated the withdrawal of the YPG from the area that Turkey plans to set up a "safe zone."

In his speech, Erdoğan said that the agreement hasn't been fully implemented.