French minister Asks Turkey to respect EU

ANKARA, Turkey — France’s foreign minister called on Turkey’s government Thursday to respect European Union values and to work to improve its strained relations with Germany and other EU nations.

Foreign Minister Jean-yves Le Drian said at a news conference with his Turkish counterpart in Ankara that France does not want to see a “rupture” in Turkey’s connection to the European bloc.

Le Drian also called for a swift trial for jailed French journalist Loup Bureau, who has been jailed in Turkey since July 26 on suspicion of terrorism “so that he may rapidly return to France and to his family.”

Le Drian says Turkish leaders agreed to improve the conditions under which Bureau is being held and to allow the journalist family visits.