UK foreign minister warns against isolating Turkey

By Ahmet Gurhan Kartal

LONDON (AA) - Turkey should not be pushed “into a corner,” British Foreign Minister Boris Johnson said Monday.

“We should not overreact in a way that is against our collective interest to what’s going on in Turkey,” Johnson told broadcaster ITV News ahead of an EU Foreign Affairs Council meeting in Brussels.

EU leaders have repeatedly criticized Turkey over the clampdown following the July 15 coup attempt, which has seen hundreds of thousands of people arrested, suspended or dismissed. Ankara has complained of a lack of support from the West as it faces a continued threat.

“Turkey remains a matter of some concern and it’s very, very important that we should not push Turkey into a corner... Remember they’ve had a very difficult situation there, a very serious attempted coup,” Johnson said.

Referring to last week’s U.S. election, he said Donald Trump’s victory should be regarded as a moment of opportunity.

“Donald Trump, as I’ve said before, is a dealmaker and I think that could be a good thing for Britain but it can also be a good thing for Europe,” he said.

As well as Turkey, Johnson said the council would be focusing on Yemen and Lebanon.