"There are some issues - especially human rights, fundamental freedoms and the situation of journalists - that are pulling our positions very much apart, but talks [with Turkey] continue," EU foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini said on September 4.

“First of all, because Turkey is a partner in the region on many different files and secondly, because it is still a candidate country. So we will continue the talks. It will be up to the internal discussions we will have and most of all the discussions we will have together with them to define the future of our relations,” she added.

Mogherini’s comments came shortly after German Chancellor Angela Merkel said on September 3 during a TV debate with her Social Democrat election challenger Martin Schulz that she would seek an end to accession talks with Ankara.

“The fact is clear that Turkey should not become a member of the EU,” Merkel said, according to news agencies.

“I’ll speak to my EU colleagues to see if we can reach a joint position on this so that we can end these accession talks,” she reportedly added.

Schulz also took an anti-Turkey stance during the debate, stating that: “If I become German chancellor, if the people of this country give me a mandate, then I will propose to the European Council that we end the membership talks with Turkey.”

Last month, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan described Merkel’s Christian Democrats, the Social Democratic Party (SPD), and the Green Party as “the enemies of Turkey.” Erdogan urged Turks living in Germany to vote against the mainstream parties in the upcoming German elections.

Ankara accuses Germany of harbouring members of the outlawed Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK), and suspected coup plotters.