“In light of these difficulties, miscommunication or even tension, let’s be frank, in my opinion, we should make steps and statements that would lead to a better dialogue, not the other way round,” he told reporters on 25 November.
Linkevičius’ remarks came a day after the European Parliament backed a freeze in EU accession talks with Ankara, citing concerns over a crackdown by the Turkish government in the wake of a failed coup last summer.
“This is a political signal and I think that, unfortunately, it will not encourage a better dialogue,” the foreign minister said.
The European Parliament’s resolution is non-binding and was not supported by the European Commission and most member states. However, President Recep Tayyip Erdogan on Friday threatened to open Turkey’s borders to allow migrants from the Middle East to reach the EU.
“What is important for us is that there is progress in processes and if we make a statement that takes us further back, this is bad. If we found a way to say that dialogue has to continue, this is good,” Linkevičius said.
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