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'EU Must Not Trade Its Interests for the Sake of Turkey'

© AP Photo / Tolga Bozoglu, PoolGerman Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchange gifts before their talks
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, left, and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan exchange gifts before their talks - Sputnik International
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According to German politician and member of the European Parliament Angelika Niebler, Turkey is not yet ready to join the EU and European countries need to think carefully about providing the Turks with any benefits.

Turkish Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoglu poses with European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker (L), European Council President Donald Tusk (2nd R) and European Parliament President Martin Schulz (R) during an EU-Turkey summit in Brussels, as the bloc is looking to Ankara to help it curb the influx of refugees and migrants flowing into Europe, March 7, 2016. - Sputnik International
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The EU should not forget about its own interests in order to please Turkey, the politician said in an interview with Deutschlandfunk.

For European countries, particularly Germany, it is unacceptable to be led by Ankara and let the Turkish authorities blackmail the EU, Niebler argued.

"We can't trade our interests and we shouldn't get into a situation in which Turkey will blackmail us," the politician said.

The MP recalled that the EU's entry conditions for all countries are the same and called on the European Parliament to think twice about whether to abolish visa requirements for Turkish citizens.

"The same criteria and rules apply for Turkey as for other countries willing to join the EU," Neibler said, adding that even if the visas for Turkey are abolished, it should not lead to a subsequent entry into the EU without compliance with all other rules.

During the recent summit on March 7 in Brussels, the European Union and Turkey agreed on the principles of the joint action to tackle the current migration crisis. According to the agreement, the European Union should abolish visas for Turkish citizens by the end of June 2016, accelerate the release of the previously promised three billion euros and speed up the decision on Turkey's accession to the EU.

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