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E.U. Officials Urge Erdogan to Show Restraint After Coup Attempt in Turkey E.U. and U.S. Officials Urge Erdogan to Show Restraint After Coup Attempt in Turkey
(about 2 hours later)
BRUSSELS — European Union foreign ministers appealed on Monday to President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey to use restraint after he successfully put down an uprising against his leadership over the weekend. BRUSSELS — The United States and the European Union stepped up pressure on President Recep Tayyip Erdogan of Turkey on Monday not to use the attempted coup against him as an excuse for an authoritarian crackdown, even suggesting that Turkey’s continued membership in NATO and its aspirations of joining the European Union could be at stake.
Mr. Erdogan has shown an increasingly authoritarian bent, and his government has detained nearly 6,000 military personnel since an attempted coup Friday night amid signs that he is using the moment to widen a crackdown on perceived enemies. Meeting in Brussels, Secretary of State John Kerry and European Union foreign ministers called on Mr. Erdogan to show restraint in the wake of the failed coup, even as he continued to round up political opponents and as Turkey debated whether it should reinstate the death penalty to deal with the plotters.
“We call for the full observance of Turkey’s constitutional order, and we, as the European Union, stress the importance for the rule of law prevailing in the country,” Federica Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, said at a news conference in Brussels with John Kerry, the American secretary of state. “We share concerns about what is happening in the country in these hours. We need to respect, have Turkey respect, democracy, human rights and fundamental freedoms.” “Obviously, NATO also has a requirement with respect to democracy, and NATO will indeed measure very carefully what is happening,” Mr. Kerry said. “And my hope is that Turkey is going to move in ways that do respect what they have said to me many times is the bedrock of their country.”
Even before the failed coup and the hard-line response, Mr. Erdogan had represented a quandary for the European Union ministers, who held a scheduled meeting in Brussels that included breakfast with Mr. Kerry. The European Union’s foreign policy chief, Federica Mogherini, called for “for the full observance of Turkey’s constitutional order, and we, as the European Union, stress the importance for the rule of law prevailing in the country.”
Turkey, which has played a pivotal role in addressing the region’s migration crisis, is expecting visa-free travel to the European Union for its citizens this year, but the country must first meet benchmarks on protecting freedoms and upholding the rule of law. Mr. Erdogan’s government has detained more than 6,000 military personnel since an attempted coup Friday night, and there are signs he is using the moment to widen a crackdown on perceived enemies.
Turkey has been a crucial ally in the region for the United States and NATO, and it has also long sought membership in the European Union. The aftermath of the coup could present European Union leaders with particularly vexing trade-offs.
In return for helping to curb the flow of migrants from Syria and other countries in the region into Western Europe, Turkey, which has played a pivotal role in addressing the region’s migration crisis, is expecting visa-free travel to the European Union for its citizens this year, but the country must first meet benchmarks on protecting freedoms and upholding the rule of law.
The flow of migrants across the Aegean Sea to the European Union has slowed to a trickle since leaders of the bloc and the government in Ankara reached a deal this year that gives funds to aid organizations in Turkey, along with other concessions.The flow of migrants across the Aegean Sea to the European Union has slowed to a trickle since leaders of the bloc and the government in Ankara reached a deal this year that gives funds to aid organizations in Turkey, along with other concessions.
But the scale of the crackdown in the wake of the attempted coup in Turkey has rattled European leaders. Alongside the members of the military, the Turkish government also dismissed thousands of judges, who seemingly played no role in the military revolt. But the scale of the crackdown in the wake of the attempted coup in Turkey has rattled Western leaders. Alongside the members of the military, the Turkish government also dismissed thousands of judges, who seemingly played no role in the military revolt.
Johannes Hahn, the European commissioner for regional affairs, suggested on Monday that Mr. Erdogan was putting in place plans that had been drawn up before the unrest. “Obviously a lot of people have been arrested and arrested very quickly,” Mr. Kerry said, appearing to echo allegations by some Europeans that the Turkish authorities had prepared lists of people for reprisals even before the coup. “I think the level of vigilance and scrutiny is obviously going to be significant in the days ahead, and we’ll work very closely, and hopefully we can work in a constructive way, that prevents a backsliding, and that is our hope.”
The arrests showed “at least that something has been prepared” because “lists are available already,” said Mr. Hahn, apparently referring to lists of people who have been subject to reprisals. Negotiations to bring Turkey into the European Union are already proceeding at a glacial pace, and Ms. Mogherini said the reintroduction of the death penalty would be a deal-breaker, as did a spokesman for Chancellor Angela Merkel of Germany.
“No country can become an E.U. member state if it introduces the death penalty,” Ms. Mogherini said at the news conference.
The death penalty would also be incompatible with Turkey’s membership in the Council of Europe, a human rights organization with nearly 50 member states that operates separately from the European Union, she said.
Formal negotiations on Turkish membership in the bloc started a decade ago, but there has been resistance from France and Germany, among others, as well as strong opposition from Cyprus, a member of the union that has been divided since Turkey invaded the north of the island in 1974.
Boris Johnson, the newly appointed British foreign secretary, told reporters before the ministers’ meeting that there needed to be “restraint and moderation on all sides” in Turkey.Boris Johnson, the newly appointed British foreign secretary, told reporters before the ministers’ meeting that there needed to be “restraint and moderation on all sides” in Turkey.
The meeting in Brussels is Mr. Johnson’s first as foreign secretary after his successful campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, in a referendum on June 23. He was named to the position by Prime Minister Theresa May last week.The meeting in Brussels is Mr. Johnson’s first as foreign secretary after his successful campaign for Britain to leave the European Union, in a referendum on June 23. He was named to the position by Prime Minister Theresa May last week.
Mr. Johnson was a divisive figure during the referendum campaign well beyond Britain, after he compared efforts by the European Union to unite the Continent with those of Adolf Hitler.Mr. Johnson was a divisive figure during the referendum campaign well beyond Britain, after he compared efforts by the European Union to unite the Continent with those of Adolf Hitler.
Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, accused Mr. Johnson of telling lies to the British people during the campaign.Jean-Marc Ayrault, the French foreign minister, accused Mr. Johnson of telling lies to the British people during the campaign.
On Monday, Mr. Johnson insisted that Britain would continue to play a part in shaping the region’s foreign policy, even without a formal tie to the European Union.On Monday, Mr. Johnson insisted that Britain would continue to play a part in shaping the region’s foreign policy, even without a formal tie to the European Union.
“We have to give effect to the will of the people and leave the European Union, but that in no sense means that we are leaving Europe,” Mr. Johnson told reporters.“We have to give effect to the will of the people and leave the European Union, but that in no sense means that we are leaving Europe,” Mr. Johnson told reporters.
“We not going to be in any way abandoning our leading role in European cooperation and participation of all kinds,” he said.“We not going to be in any way abandoning our leading role in European cooperation and participation of all kinds,” he said.
Ms. Mogherini, the European Union’s foreign policy chief, met briefly Sunday night with Mr. Johnson, and she emphasized that there could be no formal negotiations on a British departure from the bloc until the government began the formal, legal process of leaving. Ms. Mogherini met briefly Sunday night with Mr. Johnson, and she emphasized that there could be no formal negotiations on a British departure from the bloc until the government began the formal, legal process of leaving.
Ms. Mogherini said that ministers were also expected to discuss the terrorist attack in Nice, France; relations with China; and the situation in Venezuela, as well as in Turkey.Ms. Mogherini said that ministers were also expected to discuss the terrorist attack in Nice, France; relations with China; and the situation in Venezuela, as well as in Turkey.