Europe

Erdogan: European Parliament vote on Turkey has 'no value'

Associated Press
Published | Updated

Turkey's President addresses police officers in Ankara, Turkey, Tuesday, Nov. 22, 2016. Turkey's government on Tuesday dismissed a further 15,000 people from the military, police and the civil service as part of an ongoing investigation into the failed military coup in July. Erdogan said Tuesday that the civil service was still not entirely purged of U.S.-based Muslim cleric Fethullah Gulen's followers and vowed take all measures necessary to eradicate the group. (Murat Cetinmuhurdar, Presidential Press Service, Pool photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan addresses an annual economy and trade meeting of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Erdogan declared Wednesday that an upcoming vote in the European Parliament on whether to freeze membership talks with Turkey is of "no value" to his country. (Yasin Bulbul, Presidential Press Service,/Pool Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

Turkey's President Recep Tayyip Erdogan listens as he attends an annual economy and trade meeting of the Organization for Islamic Cooperation in Istanbul, Wednesday, Nov. 23, 2016. Erdogan declared Wednesday that an upcoming vote in the European Parliament on whether to freeze membership talks with Turkey is of "no value" to his country. (Yasin Bulbul, Presidential Press Service,/Pool Photo via AP) (The Associated Press)

Turkey's president says an upcoming vote in the European Parliament on whether to freeze membership talks with Turkey is of no "value" to his country.

European Union legislators are scheduled to hold a non-binding vote this week on whether Turkey's accession talks should be suspended over the Turkish government's unprecedented crackdown following the failed military coup in July.

Addressing an Organization for Islamic Cooperation Islamic Conference meeting on Wednesday, Recep Tayyip Erdogan said: "Whatever the result is, in our eyes this vote has no value."

EU nations have voiced concern over Turkey's post-coup clampdown, which has resulted in mass purges, the arrests of journalists and politicians and the closure of media outlets.

Erdogan suggested joining the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which includes Russia and China, as an alternative to the EU.