BREAKING NEWS

European lawmakers call for end to Turkey membership talks

STRASBOURG - The leaders of the European Parliament's two largest groups called on Tuesday for the European Union to halt membership talks with Turkey because of its post-coup purges.
"Our message to Turkey is very clear: accession negotiations should be frozen immediately," said Manfred Weber, the head of the largest faction in the European Parliament, the center-right European People's Party.
He was echoed by Gianni Pitella, the leader of the socialist group, the parliament's second biggest: "We want to freeze the accession talks."