EU chiefs raise ‘deep worries’ over rights in Turkey with Erdogan

EU says it wants better ties with Ankara as top officials meet with Turkey’s president, but human rights the ‘priority’.

The European Union’s top two officials expressed “deep worries” about human rights in Turkey while voicing hope for stronger ties during their first meeting in a year with President Recep Tayyip Erdogan. Tuesday’s discussions in the capital, Ankara, came on the heels of Turkey’s withdrawal from the Istanbul Convention, which combats violence against women, and the launch of a formal attempt to shut down the country’s main pro-Kurdish party. “The rule of law and respect of fundamental rights are core values of the European Union and we shared with President Erdogan our deep worries on the latest developments with Turkey in this respect,” European Council President Charles Michel said after nearly three hours of talks with Erdogan.