Merkel calls for better EU-Ankara relations, but raises concerns over lack of rule of law & human rights violations in Turkey — RT

 Turkey is the EU’s immediate neighbor, as well as a major NATO ally, German Chancellor Angela Merkel has said, calling for closer cooperation between the bloc and Ankara. Still, Turkey’s domestic issues must be addressed.

Chancellor Merkel delivered a major speech before the country’s parliament ahead of an EU leaders’ summit scheduled to take place later on Thursday. Apart from speaking about the ongoing coronavirus crisis, Merkel touched upon the bloc’s foreign relations.

“The European Union needs to have good relations with its neighbors, particularly those outside our borders, particularly with NATO-member Turkey,” Merkel told the legislators.

    Turkey is not just a NATO partner and an ally, they are our immediate neighbor and the second [most] populous country on the external borders of the European Union and it enjoys a great strategic importance.

Having a strong relationship with Turkey is particularly important to Germany itself, Merkel stressed, especially given how “many people in Germany are of Turkish descent.”....rt