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The Times, UK
EU brinkmanship threatens Turkey talks
FROM ANTHONY BROWNE, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT
September 29, 2005
JACK STRAW, the Foreign Secretary, asked his European counterparts yesterday
not to `betray' Turkey, as the Government faced last-minute defeat in its
struggle to get membership talks to start on Monday.
As the debate over the Muslim state's entry reached fever pitch, the
European Parliament dealt a blow by first voting not to ratify a customs
union with Turkey, and then insisting that the Turkish Government
acknowledge that it committed genocide against its Armenian Christian
minority in the last century.
At a meeting of EU ambassadors today, Austria is expected to block the
opening of talks by insisting that Turkey be offered a `privileged
partnership' instead of full membership. Ankara raised the stakes by
threatening to walk away if the conditions were changed.
Britain, which has made securing the start of Turkey's entry talks the top
priority of its EU presidency, will then call an emergency meeting of EU
foreign ministers on Sunday to try to stop the membership negotiations
collapsing hours before they are due to start.
The brinkmanship on an issue critical to the future of Europe will leave
Abdullah Gul, the Turkish Foreign Minister, waiting in Ankara, not knowing
whether or not he should fly to Luxembourg to start entry talks. Turkey
first applied for membership of the European Economic Community 40 years
ago, and its current Government has undertaken a frenetic round of reforms
to meet EU membership criteria.
An EU diplomat said: `We could end up with Gul sitting at Ankara airport
waiting for word on the final language of the negotiating mandate. That
would be very humiliating for the Turks and get the talks off to the worst
possible start.'
The British Government believes that securing a large, democratic Muslim
nation in the EU is essential to avert a clash between Islam and the West.
Although European governments agreed in December to entry talks, doubts have
swelled since Dutch and French voters threw the EU into crisis by rejecting
a European constitution. In most EU countries, most voters are opposed,
often fearing an influx of immigrants. Many EU leaders, including President
Chirac of France, have expressed doubts about Turkey, and Angela Merkel, the
likely next Chancellor of Germany, is staunchly opposed.
Mr Straw told the Labour Party conference: `It would now be a huge betrayal
of the hopes and expectations of the Turkish people and of Prime Minister
(Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's reform programme if, at this crucial time, we
turned our back on Turkey.'
Turkey has already been angered by other conditions that have been attached
at the last minute. One is that it recognise Cyprus, an EU member where it
has 35,000 troops occupying the north. Another is that it does not veto any
other EU country's membership of international organisations. This is a
direct challenge to Turkey to stop using its veto at Nato to block Cyprus's
membership. In Ankara, the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said: `It is
out of the question for us to accept any formula or proposal other than full
membership.'
For and against
Last December, all 25 EU members agreed to open talks with Turkey in
October. Since then, concerns have arisen in several countries. They must
now unanimously agree a framework for negotiations.
Position of key countries:
Germany: Angela Merkel, the probable next Chancellor, fears that it will
make the EU unmanageable and lead to an influx of immigrants.
Cyprus: insists that Turkey recognise it, and stop banning Cypriot traffic
from Turkish ports and airports.
Austria: insists on `privileged partnership', not full membership.
France: to placate public opposition to membership, it has promised a
referendum before it votes for Turkish entry.
Britain, Italy: strong support, believing that membership would avert clash
between Islam and the West.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1802343,00.html
EU brinkmanship threatens Turkey talks
FROM ANTHONY BROWNE, BRUSSELS CORRESPONDENT
September 29, 2005
JACK STRAW, the Foreign Secretary, asked his European counterparts yesterday
not to `betray' Turkey, as the Government faced last-minute defeat in its
struggle to get membership talks to start on Monday.
As the debate over the Muslim state's entry reached fever pitch, the
European Parliament dealt a blow by first voting not to ratify a customs
union with Turkey, and then insisting that the Turkish Government
acknowledge that it committed genocide against its Armenian Christian
minority in the last century.
At a meeting of EU ambassadors today, Austria is expected to block the
opening of talks by insisting that Turkey be offered a `privileged
partnership' instead of full membership. Ankara raised the stakes by
threatening to walk away if the conditions were changed.
Britain, which has made securing the start of Turkey's entry talks the top
priority of its EU presidency, will then call an emergency meeting of EU
foreign ministers on Sunday to try to stop the membership negotiations
collapsing hours before they are due to start.
The brinkmanship on an issue critical to the future of Europe will leave
Abdullah Gul, the Turkish Foreign Minister, waiting in Ankara, not knowing
whether or not he should fly to Luxembourg to start entry talks. Turkey
first applied for membership of the European Economic Community 40 years
ago, and its current Government has undertaken a frenetic round of reforms
to meet EU membership criteria.
An EU diplomat said: `We could end up with Gul sitting at Ankara airport
waiting for word on the final language of the negotiating mandate. That
would be very humiliating for the Turks and get the talks off to the worst
possible start.'
The British Government believes that securing a large, democratic Muslim
nation in the EU is essential to avert a clash between Islam and the West.
Although European governments agreed in December to entry talks, doubts have
swelled since Dutch and French voters threw the EU into crisis by rejecting
a European constitution. In most EU countries, most voters are opposed,
often fearing an influx of immigrants. Many EU leaders, including President
Chirac of France, have expressed doubts about Turkey, and Angela Merkel, the
likely next Chancellor of Germany, is staunchly opposed.
Mr Straw told the Labour Party conference: `It would now be a huge betrayal
of the hopes and expectations of the Turkish people and of Prime Minister
(Recep Tayyip) Erdogan's reform programme if, at this crucial time, we
turned our back on Turkey.'
Turkey has already been angered by other conditions that have been attached
at the last minute. One is that it recognise Cyprus, an EU member where it
has 35,000 troops occupying the north. Another is that it does not veto any
other EU country's membership of international organisations. This is a
direct challenge to Turkey to stop using its veto at Nato to block Cyprus's
membership. In Ankara, the Turkish Foreign Ministry spokesman said: `It is
out of the question for us to accept any formula or proposal other than full
membership.'
For and against
Last December, all 25 EU members agreed to open talks with Turkey in
October. Since then, concerns have arisen in several countries. They must
now unanimously agree a framework for negotiations.
Position of key countries:
Germany: Angela Merkel, the probable next Chancellor, fears that it will
make the EU unmanageable and lead to an influx of immigrants.
Cyprus: insists that Turkey recognise it, and stop banning Cypriot traffic
from Turkish ports and airports.
Austria: insists on `privileged partnership', not full membership.
France: to placate public opposition to membership, it has promised a
referendum before it votes for Turkish entry.
Britain, Italy: strong support, believing that membership would avert clash
between Islam and the West.
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,13509-1802343,00.html