Ankara ‘open’ to conditional terror law talks with EU

Turkey would be willing to modify its anti-terror law if the changes don’t impede the fight against terrorism and if Turkish citizens are guaranteed visa-free travel in Europe, Turkey’s ambassador to the European Union said on Thursday.

Ambassador Selim Yenel said that “it’s very difficult to change the legislation, but we’re not closing the door”.

“As long as it doesn’t affect our fight against terrorism, in all its forms, then we can look at some wordings,” he said.

The EU wants Turkey to change its definition of terrorism and what constitutes a terror act to ensure that journalists and academics aren’t arrested.

That condition is one of 72 benchmarks that Turkey must respect before it can win the visa-waiver. But several suicide bombings in Turkey, on top of last month’s failed coup attempt, make it almost politically impossible for President Recep Tayyip Erdogan to soften his stance on terrorism.

The waiver is part of a package of incentives — including up to $6.7 billion in funds for Syrian refugees in Turkey and fast track EU membership talks — the EU has offered to persuade Ankara to stop migrants coming to Europe and take back thousands more. More than 1 million migrants arrived in Europe last year and EU nations still can’t agree on how best to tackle the emergency. migrants

arrived in Europe last year and EU members still can’t agree on how best to tackle the crisis.

Yenel warned that Turkey would suspend the migrant deal if the EU doesn’t grant the waiver “in the next few months”. The waiver would allow Turkish citizens to travel visa-free in the 26 European nations of the Schengen open borders area for up to 90 days without a visa.

“If we fulfill everything, and still we don’t get visa liberalization, then the (migrant) readmission agreement will not be realized. We will suspend it,’’ he said.

‘Deal is working’

Yenel underlined that the widely-criticized deal is working, with migrant arrivals from Turkey down from thousands daily to a few dozen.

“We have solved their so-called existential problem and we feel that we need something in return,” he said.

He also appealed for understanding from allies in Europe and at the NATO military alliance, saying that “we’re very lucky’’ the July 15 coup attempt was botched.

Ankara blames the action, in which at least 270 people died, on US-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen, a former Erdogan ally living in self-imposed exile in Pennsylvania. Gulen denies involvement.