EU foreign ministers assess way ahead for Turkey relations

Published April 28, 2017

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, delivers a speech at a dinner in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, 27, 2017. Turkey's electoral authority on Thursday released the official tally of the country's referendum, saying President Erdogan's "yes" camp won narrowly in the vote that will greatly boost the powers of his office. (Kayhan Ozer/Press Presidency Press Service via AP, Pool) (The Associated Press)

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Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, attends a dinner in Ankara, Turkey, Thursday, 27, 2017. Turkey's electoral authority on Thursday released the official tally of the country's referendum, saying President Erdogan's "yes" camp won narrowly in the vote that will greatly boost the powers of his office. (Kayhan Ozer/Press Presidency Press Service via AP, Pool) (The Associated Press)

High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs Federica Mogherini, left, talks to journalists as she arrives for a meeting of EU foreign ministers in Valletta, Malta, Friday, April 28, 2017. (AP Photo/Rene Rossignaud) (The Associated Press)

European Union foreign ministers are assessing the bloc's relations with membership candidate Turkey as ties between the two have sunk to their lowest level in years.

The meeting comes in the wake of the divisive referendum in Turkey that gives more powers to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and his stinging criticism of several EU nations, some of which he compared to Nazis.

While some ministers are calling for sustained relations with a difficult partner who is also a pillar of the NATO alliance, others are calling for change.

Slovak Foreign Minister Miroslav Lajcak questioned Turkey's credentials to join the EU, saying that EU "values must be underpinned by concrete steps and you must not be saying one thing and marching in a different direction."

https://www.foxnews.com/world/eu-foreign-ministers-assess-way-ahead-for-turkey-relations