Cavusoglu criticises EU ‘double standards’ in testy meet with Swedish minister

Turkey’s foreign minister angrily dismissed European Union calls to withdraw troops from northeast Syria on Tuesday, accusing it of double standards and trying to lecture Ankara on human rights and international law.

At a tense news conference after talks in Ankara, Swedish Foreign Minister Anne Linde reitereted the EU’s calls for Turkey to withdraw troops it sent to northestern Syria a year ago against Kurdish fighters it regards as terrorists.

“The strong EU position remains the same. We continue to urge Turkey to withdraw,” Linde said, standing alongside Turkey’s foreign minister, Mevlut Cavusoglu.

He noted the EU does not urge Turkey to withdraw from northwest Syria because, he said, “3 million more refugees will come to Turkey and then to European countries.” He then asked why Sweden does not stand up for the rights of Turkish Cypriots.