Ankara European Union

Sweden's Foreign Minister also condemned the suicide attack while affirming his country's commitment to its long-term partnership with Turkey.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Ankara could "part ways" with the European Union if necessary when asked about the contents of a European Parliament report on Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday it would be "easier" if the EU blocked Ankara's bid to join the bloc, suggesting he could even hold a referendum on the matter.

European Union lawmakers called on Thursday for a temporary halt to EU membership talks with Turkey because of Ankara's "disproportionate" reaction to July's failed coup, although EU governments are unlikely to take heed.

The EU is very concerned by Turkey's arrest of leaders and MPs from the country's main pro-Kurdish party and has contacted Ankara on the issue, the bloc's foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini said Friday.

The European Union and Turkey tested the waters for a political rapprochement today with a first meeting between the bloc's 28 foreign ministers and a senior Ankara official after a failed coup in July strained their uneasy ties.

Fears are mounting in the European Union that its months-old pact with Turkey to curb migrant flows could collapse as a rift deepens over Ankara's crackdown following a failed coup.

European Union foreign ministers urged Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to respect the law and human rights in dealing with defeated coup plotters, warning that reinstating the death penalty would likely end Ankara's EU membership bid.

There is no sign that the failed military coup in Turkey has affected the migrant deal that Ankara and the European Union struck earlier this year, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said today.

Angrily lashing out at the bloc's treatment of Ankara, Erdogan said Turkey could hold a referendum along the lines of the plebescite in Britain, where voters are deciding today whether to stay in the European Union or leave.

Ankara will abandon a deal with the European Union to reduce migrant flows if its citizens are not granted visa-free travel to most of the bloc, Turkey's foreign minister has warned.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday warned the European Union that Ankara would not implement a key deal on reducing the flow of migrants if Brussels failed to fulfil its side of the bargain.

Turkey on Saturday vehemently rejected accusations by Amnesty International that it was forcibly returning Syrian refugees to the conflict-torn country, as Ankara prepares to take back, under an EU deal, Syrians who travelled illegally to Greece.

Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu warned EU leaders ahead of crunch talks Friday that Ankara's offer to curb the refugee flow to Europe was strictly a humanitarian rather than a "bargaining" issue.

The head of the UN refugee agency today said he was "deeply concerned" by a proposed deal between the EU and Ankara to curb the migrant crisis that would involve people being sent back to Turkey.

Sweden's Foreign Minister also condemned the suicide attack while affirming his country's commitment to its long-term partnership with Turkey.

Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said on Saturday that Ankara could "part ways" with the European Union if necessary when asked about the contents of a European Parliament report on Turkey.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Saturday it would be "easier" if the EU blocked Ankara's bid to join the bloc, suggesting he could even hold a referendum on the matter.

European Union lawmakers called on Thursday for a temporary halt to EU membership talks with Turkey because of Ankara's "disproportionate" reaction to July's failed coup, although EU governments are unlikely to take heed.

The EU is very concerned by Turkey's arrest of leaders and MPs from the country's main pro-Kurdish party and has contacted Ankara on the issue, the bloc's foreign affairs head Federica Mogherini said Friday.

The European Union and Turkey tested the waters for a political rapprochement today with a first meeting between the bloc's 28 foreign ministers and a senior Ankara official after a failed coup in July strained their uneasy ties.

Fears are mounting in the European Union that its months-old pact with Turkey to curb migrant flows could collapse as a rift deepens over Ankara's crackdown following a failed coup.

European Union foreign ministers urged Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan on Monday to respect the law and human rights in dealing with defeated coup plotters, warning that reinstating the death penalty would likely end Ankara's EU membership bid.

There is no sign that the failed military coup in Turkey has affected the migrant deal that Ankara and the European Union struck earlier this year, a spokesman for the German Foreign Ministry said today.

Angrily lashing out at the bloc's treatment of Ankara, Erdogan said Turkey could hold a referendum along the lines of the plebescite in Britain, where voters are deciding today whether to stay in the European Union or leave.

Ankara will abandon a deal with the European Union to reduce migrant flows if its citizens are not granted visa-free travel to most of the bloc, Turkey's foreign minister has warned.

Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Thursday warned the European Union that Ankara would not implement a key deal on reducing the flow of migrants if Brussels failed to fulfil its side of the bargain.

Turkey on Saturday vehemently rejected accusations by Amnesty International that it was forcibly returning Syrian refugees to the conflict-torn country, as Ankara prepares to take back, under an EU deal, Syrians who travelled illegally to Greece.

Turkish premier Ahmet Davutoglu warned EU leaders ahead of crunch talks Friday that Ankara's offer to curb the refugee flow to Europe was strictly a humanitarian rather than a "bargaining" issue.

The head of the UN refugee agency today said he was "deeply concerned" by a proposed deal between the EU and Ankara to curb the migrant crisis that would involve people being sent back to Turkey.