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  • ANKARA: Euro MP Notes Concern

    EURO MP NOTES CONCERN

    Hurriyet
    Nov 26 2008
    Turkey

    ANKARA - The head of the Turkish-European Union Joint Parliamentary
    Committee, Joost Lagendijk, has met with opposition leaders in
    Parliament and notes the commision's concern over the closure case
    filed against the pro-Kurdish DTP. MHP leader Devlet Bahceli complains
    to Lagendijk the EU never speaks of the positive steps taken by Turkey

    Concerns have been raised by the head of a joint Turkish-European
    committee over the closure case recently opened against the country's
    pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP, and the government's
    policy regarding the Kurdish issue.

    The head of the Turkish-European Union Joint Parliamentary Committee,
    Joost Lagendijk yesterday met with the leader of the DTP, Ahmet Turk,
    in Parliament. Turk claimed if the party was closed by the court,
    his party would vacate its seats in Parliament. Lagendijk told him the
    committee were following the developments with concern, the Hurriyet
    Daily News learned.

    DTP closure case A public prosecutor launched proceedings several
    months ago to shut down the DTP on claims the party has become a
    center of activities aimed at damaging the independence of the state
    and the indivisible integrity of its territory.

    "If our party is closed down the bridge will collapse. In that case, we
    are seriously considering abandoning Parliament," Turk told Lagendijk.

    During the meeting, Turk argued that the government's approach toward
    the Kurdish problem was "nationalist" and "chauvinistic," saying that
    the "love it or leave it" rhetoric of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
    Erdogan further escalated the tension. For his part, Lagendijk said,
    "We are following this process with concern. We'll talk with him."

    Lagendijk said they had the same sensitivity over the closure case
    filed against the DTP as the recent one against the ruling Justice
    and Development Party, or AKP, adding he would share his views during
    a meeting with the prime minister and president. He also extended
    support to the strengthening of local administrations pointed out in
    the political document of the DTP.

    Lagendijk later met with the leader of the Nationalist Movement
    Party, or MHP, Devlet Bahceli, who complained the EU never spoke
    of the positive steps taken by Turkey. Lagendijk answered the EU
    considered the amendment to Article 301 of the Turkish penal code
    as well as the government's opening to Armenia as positive steps,
    something which was not agreed to by the MHP, learned the Daily News.

    Meanwhile, an official from Turkey's EU-Secretariat General told
    business daily Referans that no policy areas or chapters were left,
    in response to a warning from an EU official that no chapters would
    be opened with Ankara in 2009 if the reforms stalled.

    EU performance "Turkey is not satisfied with the EU's performance. We
    are working on meeting the opening benchmarks in the areas of taxation,
    social policy, competition and environment. We have an action plan
    for each and every opening and closing criteria. But the number of
    chapters that can be opened to negotiations has drastically dropped
    due to political hurdles," said the official, who declined to be named.

    Brussels suspended eight out of 35 chapters due to Turkey's refusal
    to open its sea and air ports to Greek Cyprus. France opposes the
    opening of five chapters on the assumption they would guarantee
    eventual membership.

    The other obstacle, according to the same official, is that the EU has
    not yet sent to Turkey the screening reports of 10 chapters that need
    to be opened to talks. Officials expect the start of talks in the areas
    of free movement of capital and information society and media, pinning
    their hopes on the next president of the EU, the Czech Republic.
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