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Agence France Presse, France
Jan 7 2010
Germany urges Turkey to stay on EU reform track
ankara, Jan 7 2010
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle urged Turkey Thursday to
press ahead with reforms to bring it closer to the European Union and
denied Berlin was blocking Ankara's bid to join the bloc.
Westerwelle, on a two-day trip to Turkey, dismissed fears that
Chancellor Angela Merkel's new centre-right government was throwing up
hurdles for Turkey.
"Some have asked whether the new German government wants to close the
door to (EU) membership for Turkey," he told a conference of Turkish
ambassadors.
"I will tell you quite clearly: what the EU and Turkey have agreed
stands. And that applies to this German government too. I am committed
to that."
Merkel's conservative Christian Union would prefer to see Turkey
granted a "privileged partnership" with the EU while Westerwelle's
pro-business Free Democrats are seen as more open to Ankara's
ambitions.
Westerwelle, who is also vice-chancellor, quoted from the October
coalition pact in which Berlin pledges its support for "open-outcome"
accession talks with Turkey.
Asked later at a press conference with his counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu
whether his statements meant Merkel had dropped her opposition to
Turkey eventually joining the EU, Westerwelle said he spoke for
Berlin.
"I am not here as a tourist in shorts -- I am the German foreign
minister and what I say counts," he said with a smile.
"We are reliable partners. That is why Germany has such a good
reputation in the world."
He noted that Turkey had as yet failed to meet key EU criteria such as
opening its borders to member country Cyprus but also called on
Nicosia to contribute to a solution, and praised Ankara for its
democratic reforms.
"I encourage you to press on," particularly in the areas of freedom of
religion, expression and the press and its treatment of the Kurdish
minority.
Westerwelle hailed Ankara's "key role" in trouble spots such as Iraq,
Lebanon, Afghanistan and Pakistan and efforts to heal long-standing
rifts with neighbours such as Armenia.
Davutoglu said Ankara hoped to deepen trade, security and political
ties with Europe's biggest economy.
"And we of course plan to implement all the necessary EU reforms," he said.
The glacial progression of EU accession talks has been a major source
of frustration for Ankara.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey occupied
the north in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia aimed at
uniting the island with Greece.
Ankara has since 2004 refused to open its frontiers and ports to
Cyprus under an EU-Turkish accord.
Since it began EU accession talks in 2005, Turkey has managed to open
12 of the 35 so-called chapters and successfully negotiate and close
just one.
On top of its row with Cyprus, there is a bigger, more fundamental
issue, raised by EU powerhouses France and Germany and others: whether
such a large, mainly Muslim country on the borders of Asia has a place
in Europe.
Germany has the largest ethnic Turkish population outside Turkey with
nearly three million members. In 2008, bilateral trade volume reached
nearly 25 billion euros (36 billion dollars).
Westerwelle was also to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
other government ministers on trade ties, Iran's nuclear programme,
the stability of Afghanistan and the threat posed by Al-Qaeda in
Yemen.
President Abdullah Gul cancelled planned talks due to illness.
After meeting with Kurdish politicians, Westerwelle was to travel to
Istanbul before continuing on to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United
Arab Emirates.
Jan 7 2010
Germany urges Turkey to stay on EU reform track
ankara, Jan 7 2010
German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle urged Turkey Thursday to
press ahead with reforms to bring it closer to the European Union and
denied Berlin was blocking Ankara's bid to join the bloc.
Westerwelle, on a two-day trip to Turkey, dismissed fears that
Chancellor Angela Merkel's new centre-right government was throwing up
hurdles for Turkey.
"Some have asked whether the new German government wants to close the
door to (EU) membership for Turkey," he told a conference of Turkish
ambassadors.
"I will tell you quite clearly: what the EU and Turkey have agreed
stands. And that applies to this German government too. I am committed
to that."
Merkel's conservative Christian Union would prefer to see Turkey
granted a "privileged partnership" with the EU while Westerwelle's
pro-business Free Democrats are seen as more open to Ankara's
ambitions.
Westerwelle, who is also vice-chancellor, quoted from the October
coalition pact in which Berlin pledges its support for "open-outcome"
accession talks with Turkey.
Asked later at a press conference with his counterpart Ahmet Davutoglu
whether his statements meant Merkel had dropped her opposition to
Turkey eventually joining the EU, Westerwelle said he spoke for
Berlin.
"I am not here as a tourist in shorts -- I am the German foreign
minister and what I say counts," he said with a smile.
"We are reliable partners. That is why Germany has such a good
reputation in the world."
He noted that Turkey had as yet failed to meet key EU criteria such as
opening its borders to member country Cyprus but also called on
Nicosia to contribute to a solution, and praised Ankara for its
democratic reforms.
"I encourage you to press on," particularly in the areas of freedom of
religion, expression and the press and its treatment of the Kurdish
minority.
Westerwelle hailed Ankara's "key role" in trouble spots such as Iraq,
Lebanon, Afghanistan and Pakistan and efforts to heal long-standing
rifts with neighbours such as Armenia.
Davutoglu said Ankara hoped to deepen trade, security and political
ties with Europe's biggest economy.
"And we of course plan to implement all the necessary EU reforms," he said.
The glacial progression of EU accession talks has been a major source
of frustration for Ankara.
The island of Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey occupied
the north in response to an Athens-engineered coup in Nicosia aimed at
uniting the island with Greece.
Ankara has since 2004 refused to open its frontiers and ports to
Cyprus under an EU-Turkish accord.
Since it began EU accession talks in 2005, Turkey has managed to open
12 of the 35 so-called chapters and successfully negotiate and close
just one.
On top of its row with Cyprus, there is a bigger, more fundamental
issue, raised by EU powerhouses France and Germany and others: whether
such a large, mainly Muslim country on the borders of Asia has a place
in Europe.
Germany has the largest ethnic Turkish population outside Turkey with
nearly three million members. In 2008, bilateral trade volume reached
nearly 25 billion euros (36 billion dollars).
Westerwelle was also to meet Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and
other government ministers on trade ties, Iran's nuclear programme,
the stability of Afghanistan and the threat posed by Al-Qaeda in
Yemen.
President Abdullah Gul cancelled planned talks due to illness.
After meeting with Kurdish politicians, Westerwelle was to travel to
Istanbul before continuing on to Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the United
Arab Emirates.