As terrorism evolves into a worldwide threat, why is the international public unable to hinder terrorist activities? What kind of an approach does the EU adopt with regard to PKK terror? Does the EU recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization like DAESH? How is Russia's aggressive Middle East policy perceived in Europe? We listened to the opinions of Turkey experts at European Parliament on some critical issues regarding Turkey. Some high-ranking politicians of Europe spoke to Daily Sabah during European Parliament's general meetings in Strasbourg.European Parliament Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe member Alexander Graf LambsdorffDS: Does Europe recognize the PKK as a terrorist organization like DAESH?Lambsdorff: What the PKK does within Turkey is absolutely terrorism. There is no doubt over that. The PKK is listed as a terrorist group by the EU. I also think this is right. Some might argue in the EU that the PKK is not a terrorist group. Let them think that way. But the PKK is definitely a terrorist organization for us. Second of all, since the Syrian wing of the PKK fights against DAESH, some groups in Europe have given credence to the PKK. And the PKK has tried to restructure its image thanks to that. But we are cognizant of the incidents in Turkey.DS: Propaganda alleging that Turkey abets DAESH has been conducted for a while in Europe. Why has Turkey been subjected to such propaganda?At this point, a significant strategic interest of Turkey stands out, which is not allowing a Kurdish state in Turkey, Syrian or Iraqi territories. Therefore, an impression suggesting that Turkey fights DAESH is attempted to be created.DS: Does Europe support the formation of a Kurdish state in the region?The borders should under no circumstances be changed without the consent of the parties owning the borders. This means that a Kurdish state in Turkey can only be formed with the consent of Ankara. The same goes for Syria. The Vienna Conference struggled for Syria to remain a single unity and the same also goes for Iraq. We are trying to protect the borders of Iraq, which means we are opposed to a Kurdish state.DS: How would Germany behave if terrorist attacks took place in Germany?In Germany, we were subjected to terrorist attacks of an organization called the Red Army Faction. Germany's answer to that organization was harsh and successful. The terrorists were arrested and tried. Some of them are still in prison. Such an answer is normal in the face of terrorist attacks.DS: How do you evaluate the Peoples' Democratic Party's (HDP) condemnation of PKK attacks?The HDP argues that it represents the Kurds in Turkey. I am sure this political party is affiliated with the PKK. We have said many times in the EU that the HDP is required to condemn the terrorist attacks of the PKK. It should also keep the PKK at bay.DS: Can Turkey's unending EU process and visa policy make progress?I think this negotiation process resembles a zombie. It seems alive, but it does not actually live. As for the visa policy, I hope Turkey will be granted visa-free access through a step-by-step process or a comprehensive agreement since this step is more important to Turkish citizens than EU membership.European Parliament Turkey rapporteur, Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats member Kati PiriDS: The EU has so far left Turkey alone in the refugee crisis. The humanitarian tragedy was noticed after the photos of Alan Kurdi were released. Will this attitude change?The EU, which regards itself as the guardian of human rights, should exert much effort to regain its old image. Some member countries display unbelievable attitudes regarding the refugee issue. The Slovakian prime minister said that they would open their gates to non-Muslim Syrians. Similar remarks have been made by almost every political party in European Parliament. Such remarks are offensive. We have unfortunately heard such remarks a lot in the EU. This problem must be solved in 2016. Also, what Turkey has done in this regard was realized late. We should have realized and appreciated that before it was too late. Then we would not be at this point today. However, for a real partnership, Turkey's burden must be shared from now on.DS: The promised 3 billion euro fund is still not been allocated to Turkey. The conflict over the funds is ongoing in the EU.I agree with you. Currently, we hear that EU countries discuss which budget should be used for funds rather than discussing paying or not. I have to admit that this is has been a shame for the EU during the last couple of months. We saw that some countries, led by their prime ministers, negotiated, came to terms and signed agreement as we did with Turkey. But when it comes to transferring money, we saw that nothing was done. Now it is high time to behave more humanely.DS: Do you regard the PKK as a terrorist organization?Of course it is a terrorist organization. It is listed as a terrorist group by the EU and the U.S. There is no doubt over that. It is unacceptable to see children taking up arms.DS: Turkey is one of the leading countries aggrieved by DAESH terror. Also, propaganda alleging that Turkey cooperates with DAESH was conducted. Is there not a contradiction here? Has Turkey been left alone in this respect?You are right. After Diyarbakır, Suruç and Ankara, the latest attack was organized in Istanbul. Every signal indicates DAESH. This also shows Turkey's sensitivity. As a country having borders with Syria and as a NATO member, Turkey is in a vulnerable position to such attacks and needs the aid of its international partners in the fight against this terrorist group. I have observed that the Turkish government increasingly fights DAESH. I think the country should be supported by the international community. DS: Do you think the EU provides aid sufficiently?Why is the war in Syria ongoing for years? Because everyone has different enemies there. Some groups have allies, but everyone has different enemies. As you see, Russia is on friendly terms with Syrian President Bashar Assad and fights against everyone opposing Assad. Of course Assad was the number-one target of the Turkish government while the number-one target of the EU and the U.S. was DAESH. I do not argue that you cannot have a second enemy if you have one. But for all these reasons, it was really hard to form an international platform to end the war in Syria and prevent human tragedies and terrorist attacks. I believe that Turkey should be provided all kinds of support in its fight against this horrible terrorist group.'I do not believe that Russia is there to fight against DAESH'DS: How do you evaluate Russia's aggressive Middle East policies?I am not an admirer of Russia. You can easily see that it is not a democratic country when you consider its attitude to its own citizens. Anyone who believes in democracy knows that this is not what is supposed to be. Also, Russia faced international sanctions after violating Ukraine's border and occupying Crimea. It eventually wanted to get involved in the Syrian war. I do not believe that Russia is there to fight against DAESH. It is obvious that it tries to protect the current regime in Syria.DS: Will the EU keep the promises it made to Turkey? Will visa requirements be lifted this year?Last year we saw the whole EU project questioned. I am an optimistic person. I believe we all should be optimistic. If we could not hold the EU together and there was no Schengen zone, this would mean the start of the EU's demise. I am not a politician wishing for such a thing. Hopefully we do not come to that point. As for lifting the visa requirement for Turkey, we have been negotiating this for a long time. This is not a new topic, as you know. Readmission agreements have been on the agenda for two years. I am glad this topic is one of the primary issues on the agenda now since allowing such a freedom means a lot to Turkish citizens. I also see that the European Commission is willing to keep its promises. They make the decision with regard to that. The Turkish government only needs to fulfill the technical criteria. If reforms are made, they will clear the way for Turkey. DS: Will full membership negotiations between Turkey and the EU gain speed?I hope so. If the negotiations gains speed, this would have two meanings. First of all, it would mean the resolution of the 40-year-old Cyprus issue. This was one of the main obstacles hindering the opening of negotiation chapters. It would contribute to the negotiations. I know that an atmosphere of insecurity has been prevalent between the two parties for a long time. European Conservatives and Reformists Group member who is a British Muslim of Pakistani origin Sajjad KarimDS: Are EU institutions aware of the requirement of taking measures against increasing anti-Muslim sentiments?For a long time European Parliament did not have any concern regarding increasing Islamophobia in Europe. A few years ago, European Commission member Vivian Redding came to the parliament and admitted that Europe has a problem to resolve. The problem is Europe will decline unless we fight against double standards because this situation targets our own values. Apart from the EU level, political party leaders also display Islamophobic tendencies for their political interests.DS: Does Turkey's Muslim identity pose an obstacle to its EU membership process?At this parliament, I have seen that many members objected to Turkey's EU membership on the grounds that the majority of the country is Muslim. They claim that Turkey can never join the EU. Then we should clarify this: Are we a union founded on principles or on geography and religion? As the EU is founded on principles, Turkey has a place in the EU.European Parliament Group of Christian Democrats Spokeswoman Renate SommerDS: The EU promised to provide 3 billion euros of funding to Ankara for the solution of the refugee crisis. It also promised that the visa requirement for Turkey will be lifted in October. Will these promises be kept?I believe all these promises will be kept, but such issues take some time because EU countries are not always willing to fund money. Currently, Italy is blocking the payment of the 3 billion euros. But the European Commission announced that the first part of the money, which corresponds to 500 million to 600 million euros, can be paid. As for the visa policy, if Turkey fulfills the conditions of the readmission agreement, the visa requirement for Turkey will be lifted. And it can be said that Turkey has made great progress in this regard. We expect the acceleration of negotiations with Turkey this year. All these developments mark a good starting point. European Parliament Group of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe member Michael TheurerDS: How did the Sultanahmet terrorist attack in Istanbul and the death of 10 German tourists resonate in Germany?We experienced an emotional breakdown. We are still trying to overcome it. Terrorism threatens all of us, so we must unite against it. After the incident, many Germans planning to visit Turkey canceled their bookings. For Germany, Turkey is the number-one tourist destination. I have been to Turkey many times and am ready to head there at any moment because it is a beautiful county. The problems in this rapidly changing country should not be exaggerated. I recommend all German tourists visit Turkey because Turkey has been taking great steps to render the country more secure.DS: Turkey rebukes Europe since it did not sufficiently support its fight against the PKK. Do you agree with that?We are supposed to show a much more balanced attitude on that matter. As European liberals, we condemn all kinds of radicalization and terrorism. We think all kinds of terror should be kept at bay.Can a zombie be revived?The latest developments in the Middle East, the unending war in Syria and Russia's expansionist policies have made Turkey and the EU develop closer relations after a period of distance and divergence. In the recent years, the EU left Turkey alone. As the financial crisis, racism and Islamophobia escalated in Europe, Ankara's slowly operating EU accession process turned into a zombie, in Lambsdorff's words. However, the developments in Middle East, energy issues, the refugee crisis, safety policies and Russia's latest steps in Syria rendered Turkey an indispensable factor for the EU. Particularly Germany, the leading country of the EU, is aware that the refugee crisis cannot be resolved without Ankara, and Europe's gas and oil dependence on Russia can be decreased only through energy lines from Turkey.German Chancellor Angela Merkel gave clear messages in her statements following Prime Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu's recent visit to Germany. After a long while Turkey has encountered an EU country seeking closer relations with it, and it is significant that this country is Germany.The most attention-grabbing aspect of our interviews at European Parliament was from Sommer, who said Turkey has made a great progress in fulfilling the criteria set forth and the visa requirement for Turkish citizens will be lifted if it fulfills them. Sommer is known as a figure who does not favor close Turkey-EU relations. Her remarks indicate that the winds in the EU have started to change in favor of Turkey. We would not even imagine such a statement from politicians with strict attitudes concerning Turkey. But still, hesitations are felt. If all these remarks are true, which is hard to believe, it means that we are close to visa-free EU travel. Lifting the visa requirement is a subject as important as Turkey's EU membership. Close relations will also bring mutual understanding. We hope that the EU will understand Turkey's sensitivity to fighting the PKK during 2016 and adopt a stance in accordance with Ankara's concerns. We hope they will treat the PKK as harshly as they treat DAESH.