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Parlamento Europeo
http://www.europarl.eu.int/
July 12 2005
EU: Only full EU membership acceptable to Turkey says Turkey's Chief
Negotiator
The Turkish chief accession negotiator rejected proposals for a
'privileged partnership' as an alternative to EU membership for
Turkey, when appearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee on
Tuesday. Mr Ali BABACAN went into some detail to set out the
political and economic reforms that have been achieved so far by his
government and answered a number of searching questions from MEPs.
Full EU membership is the goal to which both the EU and Turkey have
committed themselves, Mr Babacan said: 'No other relationship is
foreseeable for Turkey.' He added that Turkey already has several
arrangements with the EU, such as the customs union, and that it was
difficult to see what could be added to that in a special
relationship. Turkey can live with the 'rigorous' negotiation
framework as proposed by the European Commission two weeks ago, but
'would take issue if there were new hurdles', Mr Babacan said. 'The
negotiations will be difficult, but we will be patient, tolerant,
focussed and we will work hard', he said, 'knowing that we will have
to win the hearts and minds of those who are still sceptical'.
Opening a series of questions from MEPs, Camiel EURLINGS (EPP-ED,
NL), who is the rapporteur on Turkey's accession progress, asked
whether the 'law on foundations' - concerning the legal rights of
churches - will be amended now that enlargement Commissioner Olli
Rehn has deemed it to be insufficient. Mr Babacan assured him that
the concerns of the Commission and of Parliament will be taken into
account when the Turkish parliament debates the bill after the summer
recess. Eurlings also raised the problems with the freedom of the
press and the lack of social-economic development in South-eastern
Turkey.
In answer to concerns raised by a number of MEPs about an apparent
slow-down in the reforms, Mr Babacan replied that the critical mass
of the reforms had been achieved prior to the Council's decision in
December last year to open negotiations. Implementation of the
reforms takes some time, he added, and therefore the Turkish
government prefers to evaluate progress on the basis of whether there
is improvement compared to the previous year. More importantly, the
political will and the support of the population are strong enough to
carry through these reforms, he said. But this support can be
fragile, he added, and if comments by EU leaders and the Parliament
are not phrased carefully, 'people may be offended'. Equally, the
political will and support will only be there if the target of
negotiations is full membership.
On Cyprus, Mr Babacan stressed that the so-called 'Ankara Protocal',
extending the customs union to the new Member States, including
Cyprus, will be signed before the start of the negotiations,
scheduled for 3 October. Turkey was and remains willing to find a
solution for this divided island and has shown this when it supported
the Annan plan, which was approved by referendum in the northern part
of Cyprus, but rejected in the southern part.
Regarding Armenia, Turkey, last year, invited Armenia to take part in
a committee of historians to research these events, Mr Babacan told
MEPs, but so far without response.
On South-eastern Turkey, Mr Babacan explained that the region had
lived through decades of 'terrorist attacks' and that the lack of
security had traditionally scared off investors. The Turkish
government is hoping for increased international cooperation and help
in the fight against terrorism, which has recently flared up due to
the instability in Iraq and incidents in Europe.
12.07.2005 Committee on Foreign Affairs
In the chair: Elmar BROK (EPP-ED, DE)
http://www.europarl.eu.int/
July 12 2005
EU: Only full EU membership acceptable to Turkey says Turkey's Chief
Negotiator
The Turkish chief accession negotiator rejected proposals for a
'privileged partnership' as an alternative to EU membership for
Turkey, when appearing before the Foreign Affairs Committee on
Tuesday. Mr Ali BABACAN went into some detail to set out the
political and economic reforms that have been achieved so far by his
government and answered a number of searching questions from MEPs.
Full EU membership is the goal to which both the EU and Turkey have
committed themselves, Mr Babacan said: 'No other relationship is
foreseeable for Turkey.' He added that Turkey already has several
arrangements with the EU, such as the customs union, and that it was
difficult to see what could be added to that in a special
relationship. Turkey can live with the 'rigorous' negotiation
framework as proposed by the European Commission two weeks ago, but
'would take issue if there were new hurdles', Mr Babacan said. 'The
negotiations will be difficult, but we will be patient, tolerant,
focussed and we will work hard', he said, 'knowing that we will have
to win the hearts and minds of those who are still sceptical'.
Opening a series of questions from MEPs, Camiel EURLINGS (EPP-ED,
NL), who is the rapporteur on Turkey's accession progress, asked
whether the 'law on foundations' - concerning the legal rights of
churches - will be amended now that enlargement Commissioner Olli
Rehn has deemed it to be insufficient. Mr Babacan assured him that
the concerns of the Commission and of Parliament will be taken into
account when the Turkish parliament debates the bill after the summer
recess. Eurlings also raised the problems with the freedom of the
press and the lack of social-economic development in South-eastern
Turkey.
In answer to concerns raised by a number of MEPs about an apparent
slow-down in the reforms, Mr Babacan replied that the critical mass
of the reforms had been achieved prior to the Council's decision in
December last year to open negotiations. Implementation of the
reforms takes some time, he added, and therefore the Turkish
government prefers to evaluate progress on the basis of whether there
is improvement compared to the previous year. More importantly, the
political will and the support of the population are strong enough to
carry through these reforms, he said. But this support can be
fragile, he added, and if comments by EU leaders and the Parliament
are not phrased carefully, 'people may be offended'. Equally, the
political will and support will only be there if the target of
negotiations is full membership.
On Cyprus, Mr Babacan stressed that the so-called 'Ankara Protocal',
extending the customs union to the new Member States, including
Cyprus, will be signed before the start of the negotiations,
scheduled for 3 October. Turkey was and remains willing to find a
solution for this divided island and has shown this when it supported
the Annan plan, which was approved by referendum in the northern part
of Cyprus, but rejected in the southern part.
Regarding Armenia, Turkey, last year, invited Armenia to take part in
a committee of historians to research these events, Mr Babacan told
MEPs, but so far without response.
On South-eastern Turkey, Mr Babacan explained that the region had
lived through decades of 'terrorist attacks' and that the lack of
security had traditionally scared off investors. The Turkish
government is hoping for increased international cooperation and help
in the fight against terrorism, which has recently flared up due to
the instability in Iraq and incidents in Europe.
12.07.2005 Committee on Foreign Affairs
In the chair: Elmar BROK (EPP-ED, DE)