Merkel: I Have Never Visualized Turkey's Membership in the EU

The Chancellor of Germany, Angela Merkel, in response to recent Turkish provocations on the island of Cyprus, stated that Turkey has no prospects of becoming a full member of the European Union, according to Greek City Times.

"I have never visualized Turkey's membership in the EU, and I still do not visualize it," said Merkel, adding that she is making considerable efforts to maintain good relations with Turkey.

Furthermore, answering questions regarding the agreement signed between the EU and Turkey concerning refugees, Merkel noted that the European Council has decided to allocate an additional 3 billion euros to Turkey to support refugee-related work.

"These are the issues I discuss with Mr. Erdoğan. I don't think refugees should be used as a political tool; they are people," Merkel stated, expressing her hope that the EU-Turkey agreement will develop further, as "it is best for people."