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Babacan vows to keep EU process on track
The New Anatolian, Turkey
Sept 7 2006
/ Brussels
Turkey's chief European Union negotiator Ali Babacan on Tuesday
dismissed the European Parliament's harshly critical new report on
Turkey, vowing to keep the country's EU process on track.
Stressing that it's wrong to say the Union doesn't want Turkey by
only looking at this or that report, Babacan said, "Such reports may
include mistakes which might be corrected or not. But the important
thing for us is to keep up with the reform process, which is in
Turkey's interests."
The EP's toughly worded report, prepared by Dutch MEP Camiel Eurlings
and approved by the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee, called on Ankara
to recognize the Armenian genocide claims before becoming an EU
member. It also included criticisms on the Cyprus issue, a slowdown
in the EU reform process, the situation in southeast, problems with
religious minorities, cultural rights and civilian-military relations.
Turkey's chief EU negotiator also underlined that Ankara continues
to be committed to its EU accession process aimed at full membership.
"It will also take some key steps before the European Commission
announces Turkey's progress report," he added.
Babacan made the remarks following talks with Dutch Economy Minister
Joop Wijn late Tuesday in the Netherlands, the first stop of Babacan's
European tour which began as part of an effort to dispel EU criticisms
that he and the Turkish government have become indifferent to the
country's membership process.
Babacan headed to Brussels, Belgium on Wednesday to meet key European
figures. He met with Belgian Foreign Ministry State Secretary for
European Affairs Didier Donfut and will have crucial talks with EU
Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn today in which Turkey's EU
prospects and the pace of its reform process will be discussed.
Rehn is expected to urge Babacan to keep up with the reform process and
press Turkey to approve the Ankara protocol which extends the Customs
Union to the 10 new members of the Union, including the Greek Cypriot
administration. For his part, Babacan is expected to brief Rehn on the
latest reforms that have been made in Turkey and underline the future
contribution from and vital importance of Turkey's membership in the
Union, above all for the creation of a dialogue among civilizations.
The New Anatolian, Turkey
Sept 7 2006
/ Brussels
Turkey's chief European Union negotiator Ali Babacan on Tuesday
dismissed the European Parliament's harshly critical new report on
Turkey, vowing to keep the country's EU process on track.
Stressing that it's wrong to say the Union doesn't want Turkey by
only looking at this or that report, Babacan said, "Such reports may
include mistakes which might be corrected or not. But the important
thing for us is to keep up with the reform process, which is in
Turkey's interests."
The EP's toughly worded report, prepared by Dutch MEP Camiel Eurlings
and approved by the EP's Foreign Affairs Committee, called on Ankara
to recognize the Armenian genocide claims before becoming an EU
member. It also included criticisms on the Cyprus issue, a slowdown
in the EU reform process, the situation in southeast, problems with
religious minorities, cultural rights and civilian-military relations.
Turkey's chief EU negotiator also underlined that Ankara continues
to be committed to its EU accession process aimed at full membership.
"It will also take some key steps before the European Commission
announces Turkey's progress report," he added.
Babacan made the remarks following talks with Dutch Economy Minister
Joop Wijn late Tuesday in the Netherlands, the first stop of Babacan's
European tour which began as part of an effort to dispel EU criticisms
that he and the Turkish government have become indifferent to the
country's membership process.
Babacan headed to Brussels, Belgium on Wednesday to meet key European
figures. He met with Belgian Foreign Ministry State Secretary for
European Affairs Didier Donfut and will have crucial talks with EU
Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn today in which Turkey's EU
prospects and the pace of its reform process will be discussed.
Rehn is expected to urge Babacan to keep up with the reform process and
press Turkey to approve the Ankara protocol which extends the Customs
Union to the 10 new members of the Union, including the Greek Cypriot
administration. For his part, Babacan is expected to brief Rehn on the
latest reforms that have been made in Turkey and underline the future
contribution from and vital importance of Turkey's membership in the
Union, above all for the creation of a dialogue among civilizations.