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Turkish Daily News
Oct 6 2006
Arýnc: EU applying double standards
Friday, October 6, 2006
ANKARA - TDN Parliament Bureau
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arýnc said yesterday that double
standards applied by the European Union were a reason for an apparent
decline in public support for Turkey's possible membership in the
25-nation bloc.
"We see that issues we have never imagined are included in progress
reports. That's to say, Europe 'shows death as an option and tells us
to agree to [a less dangerous situation when compared to death]
malaria," Arýnc was quoted as saying during a meeting with visiting
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. Arýnc used a Turkish idiom in
order to explain that the EU was trying to prepare Ankara for a worse
situation by warning about the worst one.
Arýnc cited mistakes made by the EU as the main reasons for
declining public support for Turkey's bid to join the bloc and gave
Rehn two examples which show that the EU could demand everything from
Turkey without looking at itself. "You tell us to amend or scrap
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). I tell you to take a
look at the Netherlands, France and Switzerland," he added.
Arýnc mentioned that Dutch politicians of Turkish origin were
removed from politics due to their denial of the alleged genocide of
Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire and in France, the
Socialists have put forth a law that criminalizes any denial of the
genocide and the bill would be debated next week at the French
National Assembly. "A contradiction lies here," he said.
Explaining the second example, Arýnc referring to the EU demands
from Ankara about minority foundations. "Now take a look at Greece.
It does not grant similar rights. [Turkish] Minority foundations
there are not provided with the same rights. Turks there ask for the
same rights but Greece rejects them," he said.
"There were the double standards that have impacted our belief and
conviction about the EU, Mr. Rehn. Please do not discourage our
public," he added and assured that the Turkish government and
Parliament was resolute to fulfill its responsibilities in order to
become a member of the EU without any excuse. "But from now all the
reforms and laws that we will pass will be in line with the same
criteria applied for other EU candidate countries," Arýnc said.
Rehn said it was a part of his duty to inform Turkey about the EU's
views, regardless of whether they were positive or negative and
called on the Turkish public for calm with regard to the membership
process. "It's necessary to sort out problems through dialogue.
Everyone should act calmly and with common sense and engaged in
dialogue. Otherwise, we cannot resolve problems and make progress,"
he added.
Rehn also stressed that an amendment of Article 301, which Brussels
says is restrictive of the freedom of expression and that has landed
a string of intellectuals in court for insulting "Turkishness," would
be a strong message that will be included in the EU Commission's
progress report, due on Nov. 8.
--Boundary_(ID_xvhQQIKsbXoH+/9CYylIfQ)--
Oct 6 2006
Arýnc: EU applying double standards
Friday, October 6, 2006
ANKARA - TDN Parliament Bureau
Parliament Speaker Bulent Arýnc said yesterday that double
standards applied by the European Union were a reason for an apparent
decline in public support for Turkey's possible membership in the
25-nation bloc.
"We see that issues we have never imagined are included in progress
reports. That's to say, Europe 'shows death as an option and tells us
to agree to [a less dangerous situation when compared to death]
malaria," Arýnc was quoted as saying during a meeting with visiting
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. Arýnc used a Turkish idiom in
order to explain that the EU was trying to prepare Ankara for a worse
situation by warning about the worst one.
Arýnc cited mistakes made by the EU as the main reasons for
declining public support for Turkey's bid to join the bloc and gave
Rehn two examples which show that the EU could demand everything from
Turkey without looking at itself. "You tell us to amend or scrap
Article 301 of the Turkish Penal Code (TCK). I tell you to take a
look at the Netherlands, France and Switzerland," he added.
Arýnc mentioned that Dutch politicians of Turkish origin were
removed from politics due to their denial of the alleged genocide of
Armenians at the hands of the Ottoman Empire and in France, the
Socialists have put forth a law that criminalizes any denial of the
genocide and the bill would be debated next week at the French
National Assembly. "A contradiction lies here," he said.
Explaining the second example, Arýnc referring to the EU demands
from Ankara about minority foundations. "Now take a look at Greece.
It does not grant similar rights. [Turkish] Minority foundations
there are not provided with the same rights. Turks there ask for the
same rights but Greece rejects them," he said.
"There were the double standards that have impacted our belief and
conviction about the EU, Mr. Rehn. Please do not discourage our
public," he added and assured that the Turkish government and
Parliament was resolute to fulfill its responsibilities in order to
become a member of the EU without any excuse. "But from now all the
reforms and laws that we will pass will be in line with the same
criteria applied for other EU candidate countries," Arýnc said.
Rehn said it was a part of his duty to inform Turkey about the EU's
views, regardless of whether they were positive or negative and
called on the Turkish public for calm with regard to the membership
process. "It's necessary to sort out problems through dialogue.
Everyone should act calmly and with common sense and engaged in
dialogue. Otherwise, we cannot resolve problems and make progress,"
he added.
Rehn also stressed that an amendment of Article 301, which Brussels
says is restrictive of the freedom of expression and that has landed
a string of intellectuals in court for insulting "Turkishness," would
be a strong message that will be included in the EU Commission's
progress report, due on Nov. 8.
--Boundary_(ID_xvhQQIKsbXoH+/9CYylIfQ)--