Turkey May Cancel EU Refugee Deal After NATO Drawback

Relations between Turkey and the European Union soured after several EU nations prevented Turkish politicians from holding rallies in favor of President Recep Tayyip Erdogan's sweeping new powers in a referendum. In a further deepening of diplomatic row, Turkey blocked some military and political operations with NATO's partner countries, Reuters reported Wednesday citing sources.

The differences between Turkey and other European countries have spilled over to NATO, complicating operations even there, official Austrian sources said Wednesday in Vienna, Europe Balkan Latest News reported. The sources said that NATO member Turkey has begun to block cooperation between the alliance and partner countries like Austria, which had hindered Turkey's efforts to get included in the EU last year.

Turkey's decision to stop military work with NATO "partner countries" will reportedly affect all 22 NATO partner states, including Sweden and Georgia, some of which contribute troops to NATO missions in places like Afghanistan and Kosovo.

A senior diplomat from another non-NATO state said: "The longer this continues, the bigger the volume becomes of canceled and postponed activities between NATO allies and partners and the more problematic all this becomes," Reuters reported.

Turkey is also considering canceling a migrant readmission agreement with the EU. Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu said in a televised interview late Wednesday that the country is reevaluating a $6 billion refugee deal with the bloc, according to Reuters.

Read: Dutch Warn Citizens Against Traveling To Turkey Amid Erdogan Nazi Comments

This week amid the escalating row with the Netherlands, Erdogan had described the Dutch government as "Nazi remnants and fascists," following which Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said Erdogan's remark was "way out of line," BBC reported Saturday. This move has reportedly put a halt to Turkey's yearslong negotiation for the EU membership.

“Even without anyone saying it, Turkey’s EU membership talks will go into an irreversible coma now,” said Marc Pierini, who served as the EU’s ambassador to Turkey from 2006 to 2011. “That will suit everybody, except Turkey’s democrats," he said, according to Bloomberg.

European politicians have expressed their concerns regarding Erdogan's persecution of opponents. In November, the European Parliament voted to suspend Turkey's EU membership talks because of the Turkish government's crackdown since a coup attempt in July. However, Turkey still remains a key player in Europe's efforts to curb the influx of non-EU migrants and to contain the threat from the Islamic State group, according to a BBC report.