Turkey joining EU `not on the agenda now`: Merkel

Istanbul: Turkey`s bid to join the EU is "not on the agenda now", Germany`s Chancellor Angela Merkel said Wednesday, ahead of a summit in Brussels when leaders are due to examine proposals from Ankara that tie its membership demands to the migrant crisis.

"Negotiations with Turkey on EU membership are open-ended -- they are really not on the agenda now," said Merkel, adding that conditions for allowing Ankara into the bloc "remain unchanged and will not be changed".