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Yesterday the Turkish leader insisted the EU must open new chapters in Turkey's accession process.

And he claimed if members failed to do so, Ankara would have nothing to discuss with the bloc and would say "goodbye, ending its 50-year attempt to join Brussels.

EU leaders have previously voiced concerns over Turkey joining the union, but the comments have surprisingly caused a huge row among the bloc's ministers.

And now politicians are warring among themselves - with one MEP accusing a colleague of endangering the credibility of the European Union by opposing the termination of talks with Turkey.

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Kati Piri, Turkey's correspondent to the EU Parliament and a Dutch politician, was left furious by president Erdogan's ultimatum and called on member states to be stricter on Ankara.

She said: If Turkey were really interested in joining, Ankara would have had to show that.

The opening of new negotiating chapters with Turkey is absolutely not up for debate.

The EU can not be blackmailed by any country on the issue of membership, not even by Turkey.

Anyone wishing to join the EU must meet the criteria. I do not see that at all in Turkey. Therefore the negotiations should be terminated.

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A police officer talks with the soldiers involved in the coup attempt after they surrendered

Foreign Minister Gabriel endangers the credibility of the EU

Kati Piri, Turkey's correspondent to the EU Parliament

But her colleague German Foreign Minister Sigmar Gabriel disagrees.

During a recent summit in Valetta, France and Germany stopped short of declaring an end to the possibility of Turkey one day joining the European Union.

The countries instead suggested the EU could opt to try to reframe the Brussels-Ankara relationship by trying to broaden trade ties.

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And Gabriel later told reporters he was "strictly against" annulling the accession process.

He said: "We can try to open new channels for negotiations. It does not improve things by cancelling something before we have something new to offer."

But his comments have since sparked a huge row among EU members, who accuse Mr Gabriel of ignoring the Turkish citizens and playing into the hands of those who want to destroy the union.

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Ms Piri said: Foreign Minister Gabriel endangers the credibility of the EU with his opposition to a termination of the accession negotiations with Turkey.

And he disregards the opinion of half the Turkish citizens who voted against the constitutional reform.

I do not believe that cooperation with Turkey, which is not based on common values, helps the democratic forces in the country.

Anyone who simply accepts the violation of human rights is playing into the hands of Europe-sceptics.

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BRUSSELS AT WAR: Bloc split as ministers scrap with each other over Erdogan's EU ultimatum - Express.co.uk