EU ministers condemn Turkey's Syria incursion
Jerome Hughes
Press TV, Brussels
Arms sales to Turkey is a multi-billion euro business for European Union member states but the bloc's foreign affairs ministers have agreed to suspend these sales over Ankara's attacks, which commenced last week, on Kurdish forces in northeastern Syria.
Also, they have not ruled out imposing sanctions on Turkey while admitting the measures might have little impact. The EU ministers have also agreed to call for a ministerial meeting of the global coalition against Daesh which is led by the United States. It is the latest move in eight years of contradictory, hypocritical Western policy towards Syria, according to many commentators.
That is because, in an effort to overthrow President Assad, the United States and its military allies in the EU began arming anti-government fighters in Syria many of whom later went on to join the ranks of terrorist organizations including Daesh.
They then used the weapons supplied to them by the West to kill innocent civilians. Now Kurdish fighters are using US arms to fight NATO member Turkey.
To make matters even more uncomfortable for the West, Ankara has been engaged in the process of trying to join the EU. As relations worsen, the EU knows it really needs Turkey to help stop the flow of refugees wishing to reach the 28-nation bloc.
EU leaders will almost certainly endorse the move to suspend arms sales to Turkey when they meet here in the Belgian capital at the end of this week. It will no doubt be met with indignation by President Erdogan. The question is, and the matter of refugees comes to mind, how might he respond?
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