The Turkish authorities should decide on their own whether to maintain the rapprochement policy with the EU or not.

German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who has been set for German presidency, said the aforementioned in an interview with Bild, TASS reports.

''We can't decide for the Ankara government whether to finally close the door leading to the EU and turn away from the Western world or not,'' he said.

''This is Ankara's zone of responsibility: if it decides to again institute capital punishment, this will be a clear indication that it intends to finally close its 'European files,''' Steinmeier added.

In his words, the German Government constantly states that the 'mass arrests, sackings and attacks in the press and opposition in Turkey cause serious concern.'

''At the same time, Turkey is too important to us – even by virtue of the close human ties between the two countries – to allow ourselves interrupt the dialogue in this difficult time,'' he stressed.

''In the foreign policy we are not Jedi Knights, who can create reality by a laser sword: we must move by the difficult path of dialogue,'' the Foreign Minister concluded.