Verheugen Warns Merkel: Don’t Damage E.U.’s Stability

In a press conference in Brussels, Verheugen implied that Merkel’s offer harmed the ‘stability and reliability’ of the E.U. The Commissioner emphasized that Turkey is the only country in the world that signed the Customs Union agreement without being a member of the Union.

Meanwhile, in a statement made in Aydin city, Istanbul deputy, Kemal Dervis of the Republican People’s Party (CHP) accused Merkel of using religion as a tool in politics. German newspapers put Merkel’s ‘privileged partnership’ offer to Turkey and Turkey’s refusal on their front pages.

Die Welt Newspaper used ‘Merkel’s unsuccessful mission’ as the headline and said the ‘privileged partnership’ offer would flare up a new quarrel in German domestic politics ‘.

The British Times Newspaper stated that it was expected that Gerhard Schrörder would behave more generously.