Visit of&nbsp;Ahmet DAVUTOGLU, Turkish Prime Minister, to the EP in Brussels. Arrival, welcome by Martin SCHULZ, EP President, roundtable and extracts from the press point

Brussels

press point

round table

visit

EU - Türkiye (T)

Enlargement to Türkiye (T)

SCHULZ, Martin (S&D, DE)

meeting of the EU heads of state and government with Turkey 7 March 2016 (T)

DAVUTOGLU, Ahmet (TR)

Martin SCHULZ, EP President meets with Ahmet DAVUTOGLU, Turkish Prime Minister: arrival, roundtable and extracts from the press point

Martin SCHULZ, EP President greetings to Ahmet DAVUTOGLU, Prime Minister of Turkey at his arrival to the EP.

Handshake in front of EU and Turkish flags.

Turkish prime Minister signs the Guests Book.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, We discussed the whole frame of the necessary law making process here in the EP on which is concerning the visa liberalisation, and the budgetary questions. We raised the internal situation in turkey, from my side, the Kurdish question and the Zaman case; I had a very open exchange with the Prime Minister who disagreed with my point of view, I think this is not a surprise. I insisted that for the EP and for the EU freedom of media is a key element of our European identity.

SOUNDBITE (English), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, There is a Court case, but a Court case cannot lead to a police action against an independent newspaper and I underline that freedom of media, even of those media I myself disagree with - I was not the most enthusiastic reader of Zaman - but freedom of media is a non-negotiable element of our European identity.

SOUNDBITE (French), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, Europe is not failing; on the contrary, we are doing our best to protect the cohesion of the Union as regards the management of this crisis which is becoming a humanitarian crisis, especially in Greece and we need to do the maximum we can. Relations with Turkey were, are and will always be complex.

SOUNDBITE (French), Martin SCHULZ, EP President, We can be in total disagreement with the Turkish government and despite of it, there is a need to help the Syrian refugees on the Turkish territory; and that's only possible in cooperation with the Turkish government. So, beyond any political dilemma or controversy, which will remain as part of our relations, we need to act.