BRUSSELS, Oct. 26 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) is still willing to offer a period until December for Turkey to take positive actions to deescalate the recent tension in between, a spokesman for the European Commission said on Monday.
According to media reports, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made verbal shots towards his French counterpart, Emmanuel Macron, after the latter condemned the killing of a French history teacher as an "Islamic terrorist attack."
At a daily briefing, the commission's foreign affairs spokesman Peter Stano said that the position of the 27 EU member states made clear in the leaders' summit early October has set out the positive lines for Turkey to follow, and the heads of state and government will reconvene to assess the development in December as planned.
"However, if we keep getting provocations against the European Union or a member state of the European Union, then we're going to have to think again about what we can do about such action or any statements," he added.
Stano underscored the background that Turkey is in the middle of a process of joining the EU as a member.
"We clearly expect a change in action and declarations from the Turkish side," Stano said.
The latest cross-Mediterranean row was triggered by the death of the 47-year-old history teacher, who was beheaded by a refugee of Chechen origin on Oct. 16 after he had reportedly shown his students cartoons of Prophet Mohammad.
Macron later condemned the killing, calling on the French to stand together while pledging quick and firm action by the government to combat terrorism.
In the following days, the country announced police operations in investigating and arresting extremists, as well as plans to dissolve groups of extremist religious beliefs and expel suspected radicalists.
According to reports, Erdogan questioned Macron's mental health in an open speech and called for a boycott of French goods.
On the French part, Macron has the support of the EU and several member countries.
On Sunday the EU's high representative for foreign affairs and security policy Josep Borrell urged Erdogan to stop "the dangerous spiral of confrontation."
"The conclusions of the European Council contain a real offer to relaunch our relationship, but there must be a political will on the part of the Turkish authorities on this positive agenda. Otherwise, Turkey will be even more isolated," he tweeted.
European Council President Charles Michel also accused Turkey of choosing "provocations, unilateral actions in the Mediterranean and now insults" rather than a positive agenda, adding that "this is intolerable."
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte said his country stood by France "for the freedom of speech and against extremism and radicalism," while German Foreign Minister Heiko Maas also stressed Germany's solidarity with France, calling Erdogan's remarks on Macron as "a new low point."
The row between Turkey and France has added fuel to the maritime disputes in the Eastern Mediterranean.
France has long opposed Turkey's drilling activities in the Eastern Mediterranean while Erdogan in September warned his French counterpart not to "mess with Turkey and Turkish nation." Enditem
