ISTANBUL, June 20 (Xinhua) -- Turkey's main opposition leader on Thursday urged German Chancellor Angela Merkel not to block Turkey's EU accession talks.
Kemal Kilicdaroglu, head of Turkey's major opposition Republican People's Party (CHP), said in a letter that "It would be an unjust, improper and wrong approach to take the attitude that Turkey won't be able to join the European Union."
The opening of new and important chapters in the EU accession talks would strengthen Turkey's democratic base, and would renew Turkish people's commitment to the EU, Kilicdaroglu noted.
Meanwhile, Turkish deputy prime minister Bekir Bozdag criticized Germany's stance and complained that EU countries always found excuses to bloc Turkey's EU membership.
Relations between Turkey and the EU have recently been strained after the European Parliament issued a strongly worded statement against Turkish government's response to the Gezi Park demonstrations.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said he "did not recognize" the European Parliament and its decisions, accusing the EU of being "undemocratic."
Turkey suspended political dialogue with the EU in December 1997 after its candidacy for full membership was rejected at the Luxembourg Summit of the union.
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