EU mulls cutting pre-accession funds for Turkey

BRUSSELS, Oct 20 (KUNA) -- The European Council (EC) said Friday that current relations with Turkey are difficult and warned to cut pre-membership funds for Ankara.
"As a result of our discussion last night on Turkey, we tasked the Commission to reflect on whether to cut and re-orient pre-accession funds," EC President Donald Tusk told a press conference at the end of the two-day summit.
"We want to keep the door open to Ankara, but the current reality in Turkey is making this difficult," added the EC chief.
"It was also stressed that Turkey needs to respect all member-states in its relations with the EU, including when it comes to the implementation of the existing Customs Union agreement," said Tusk.
"After UK Prime Minister Theresa May's intervention last night, and our discussion about Brexit this morning; my impression is that the reports of the deadlock between the EU and UK have been exaggerated," he noted.
"While progress is not sufficient, it doesn't mean there is no progress at all," Tusk said.
The Council has agreed to start internal preparatory discussions in relation to the framework for the future relationship and on transitional arrangements, he noted.
The summit discussed the leaders' agenda for work in the next two years, and "I am happy to have received univocal support of all the EU leaders to go ahead with this plan," he said.
EU leaders' agenda is to deal with the most contagious issues, including the reform of the Eurozone, migration crisis, internal security, trade, and the future financing of the EU. (end) nk.ma