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Erdogan: Turkey to Open Border if EU Continues its Threats

by VOA News

   WASHINGTON --

   Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the European Union Friday
   that if it continues to threaten his country, he would allow hundreds
   of thousands of migrants to flood into EU countries.

   Speaking at a congress on women's justice in Istanbul, Erdogan reacted
   to a nonbinding resolution approved by the European Parliament Thursday
   demanding that the bloc freeze membership negotiations with Turkey over
   the government's heavy-handed crackdown following the failed military
   coup in July.

   Border gates to open

   "When 50,000 immigrants reached (the border town) of Kapikule, you
   wailed. 'What would we do if Turkey opened the border gates,' you've
   pondered. Look here, if this goes any further, those border gates will
   be opened -- you should know that. Neither I nor this nation cares
   about empty threats."

   The EU reached a deal in March to return migrants to Turkey in exchange
   for a package including aid for the refugees and accelerated membership
   talks.

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

   Freeze would be symbolic

   Members of the European Parliament voted 479 to 37 in favor of a
   nonbinding motion urging the European Commission and national
   governments to institute what lawmakers acknowledge would be a largely
   symbolic freeze in negotiations that have been going on for 11 years
   but have long been stalled.

   Neither side expects Turkey to be in a position to join the EU for many
   years to come.

   Lawmakers debated EU-Turkey relations Tuesday, with the main parties
   backing a freeze.

   EU leaders are scheduled to discuss Turkey again when they meet in
   Brussels at a regular summit December 15-16.