ArmInfo. Turkey's increasingly assertive foreign policy continued to collide with EU priorities under the CFSP, notably due to its support for military action in the Caucasus, Syria and Iraq. This is stated in the report of the European Commission (EC) on the process of Turkey's accession to the European Union (EU) for 2021.
The 128-page report notes that: "Turkey took a leading role in supporting Azerbaijan military efforts in Nagorno-Karabakh, providing military assistance, intelligence and weapons, and reportedly support through foreign fighters. As a consequence, relations with Armenia did not improve."
The document also mentions that: "Canada cancelled export permits for military goods and technology to Turkey following the results of an investigation into allegations that Canadian technology was being used by the Azerbaijani military forces in the Nagorno- Karabakh conflict."
The report criticizes Turkey's actions in Libya and Syria. It is noted that: "Turkey's increasingly assertive foreign policy continued to collide with EU priorities under the CFSP, notably due to its support for military action in the Caucasus, Syria and Iraq. While the institutional framework enabling Turkey's participation in the CFSP and the Common Security and Defence Policy (CSDP) is in place, Turkey maintained a very low alignment rate of around 14 %. Turkey's military support in Libya, including the deployment of foreign fighters on the ground, and its persistent criticism of, and lack of cooperation with Operation IRINI, are detrimental to the EU's effective contribution to the UN arms embargo implementation, and have led to conflicting approaches on Libya. Turkey wants to see a stable and prosperous Syria, an objective it shares with the EU. However, Turkey pursued its own military action in northern Syria, including through Turkish-backed militias. At the same time, Turkey increased the provision of basic services and extended its infrastructure networks in northern Syria."
It is also noted that: " The EU has repeatedly stressed the need for Turkey to respect the sovereign rights of EU Member States, which include entering into bilateral agreements and exploring and exploiting their natural resources in accordance with the EU acquis and international law, including the UN Convention on the Law of the Sea. Turkey needs to commit itself unequivocally to good neighbourly relations, international agreements and to the peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the United Nations Charter, having recourse, if necessary, to the International Court of Justice."
In general, the report emphasizes that, "there are serious deficiencies in the functioning of Turkey's democratic institutions". The situation in the country with the rule of law, independent justice and respect for fundamental rights continues to deteriorate. Assessing Turkey's progress towards joining the European Union, the authors of the document criticized the fact that the special powers of the Turkish authorities, introduced after the attempted coup in 2016, are still in force. The pressure on civil society and on politicians from opposition parties does not stop, it is stated below.
The Turkish Foreign Ministry reacted sharply to the report of the European Commission, stressing that the document contains "unfounded accusations" and "unfair criticism" with which Ankara does not agree. According to the Turkish Foreign Ministry, this document demonstrates the EU's "double morality" towards Turkey, which claims to join the European Union.