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TURKEY, GERMANY CALL FOR TALKS ON NEW CHAPTERS
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Feb 3 2014
3 February 2014 /İSTANBUL, TODAY'S ZAMAN
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his German counterpart,
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, both stressed on Monday the need to open
talks on the EU accession chapters related to rights and freedoms, as
well as justice and security, saying that for Turkey to get over the
turbulence of recent developments that have shaken Turkey's political
stability, talks on new chapters will be of crucial importance.
Speaking during a joint press conference after a bilateral meeting
with Steinmeier in Berlin, Davutoglu noted that if the EU wants to
be included in Turkey's judiciary reforms and desires that Turkey's
judicial reforms continue in line with EU standards, Chapters 23 and
24, which cover issues related to the judiciary, fundamental rights,
freedom and security, need to be opened. His remarks came amid EU
officials' increasing concerns about the independence of the judiciary
in Turkey in the wake of the government corruption scandal that became
public on Dec. 17.
Steinmeier expressed Germany's support for Turkey's EU bid at the
conference. He said it is important to keep the EU's door open to
Turkey following the corruption scandal and that he's advocating for
the opening of two new components of the membership talks. He stressed
the need for the opening of the sections of Turkey's membership
negotiations that address justice and human rights.
Though welcoming the opening of the talks on those two chapters, Ankara
is pressing the EU for further progress in the accession process by
also giving the green light for the opening of talks on additional
chapters. Turkey hopes for the opening of as many chapters as possible
because there are still 21 chapters that are as yet unopened.
Davutoglu and Steinmeier's remarks came just ahead of Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's two-day visit to Germany, beginning on Monday.
The visit is part of a flurry of activity to keep up the momentum
between Turkey and the EU that recently increased with the opening
of Chapter 22 on regional policy and coordination of structural
instruments and the newly signed agreements with the EU on visa
liberalization and readmission. Meetings with EU officials and visits
to EU countries have intensified considerably in recent weeks.
Davutoglu also underlined that Turkey is confident that Germany's
role will boost Turkey-EU relations. "We believe that Germany's
encouragement on this issue [Turkey's accession process] will set off
a big reaction in Europe," he said, underlining that Turkey expects
to proceed to a new phase in relations with the EU.
Bilateral relations between Turkey and Germany, Turkey's bid to join
the union and the recent political unrest in Turkey are likely to
form the agenda of the meetings that Erdogan is expected to hold with
German officials that include Social Democratic Party (SPD) Chairman
Sigmar Gabriel and Steinmeier as well as Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Erdogan is likely to seek the support of German officials for Turkey's
bid to become a full member of the EU.
However, although Turkey has been trying to refresh its relationship
with the EU, it has recently deteriorated following the exposure of
a corruption investigation and then was further damaged by a draft
bill to restructure the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors
(HSYK). EU officials quickly expressed their uneasiness with the
government's handling of recent developments and issued a number of
statements sharply criticizing the Turkish government. One of the
harshest remarks came from the German foreign minister, who signaled
in mid-January that Turkey's negotiation process is at risk. He warned
Ankara to revise its stance on recent events or Turkey's membership
negotiations with the EU may need to be suspended.
At the press conference, Davutoglu alluded to Steinmeier's remarks,
saying that the two can discuss their opinions on the internal
developments of both countries openly and reciprocally.
While Erdogan was preparing to leave for Berlin, Germany's Christian
Democratic Union (CDU) deputy Erika Steinbach said Erdogan should
apologize to Armenians for the events of 1915. According reports in
Turkish media citing a report of the German daily Bild, Steinbach
called on Erdogan not to deny the genocide committed against Armenians
and Assyrians by the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire.
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Feb 3 2014
3 February 2014 /İSTANBUL, TODAY'S ZAMAN
Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and his German counterpart,
Frank-Walter Steinmeier, both stressed on Monday the need to open
talks on the EU accession chapters related to rights and freedoms, as
well as justice and security, saying that for Turkey to get over the
turbulence of recent developments that have shaken Turkey's political
stability, talks on new chapters will be of crucial importance.
Speaking during a joint press conference after a bilateral meeting
with Steinmeier in Berlin, Davutoglu noted that if the EU wants to
be included in Turkey's judiciary reforms and desires that Turkey's
judicial reforms continue in line with EU standards, Chapters 23 and
24, which cover issues related to the judiciary, fundamental rights,
freedom and security, need to be opened. His remarks came amid EU
officials' increasing concerns about the independence of the judiciary
in Turkey in the wake of the government corruption scandal that became
public on Dec. 17.
Steinmeier expressed Germany's support for Turkey's EU bid at the
conference. He said it is important to keep the EU's door open to
Turkey following the corruption scandal and that he's advocating for
the opening of two new components of the membership talks. He stressed
the need for the opening of the sections of Turkey's membership
negotiations that address justice and human rights.
Though welcoming the opening of the talks on those two chapters, Ankara
is pressing the EU for further progress in the accession process by
also giving the green light for the opening of talks on additional
chapters. Turkey hopes for the opening of as many chapters as possible
because there are still 21 chapters that are as yet unopened.
Davutoglu and Steinmeier's remarks came just ahead of Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan's two-day visit to Germany, beginning on Monday.
The visit is part of a flurry of activity to keep up the momentum
between Turkey and the EU that recently increased with the opening
of Chapter 22 on regional policy and coordination of structural
instruments and the newly signed agreements with the EU on visa
liberalization and readmission. Meetings with EU officials and visits
to EU countries have intensified considerably in recent weeks.
Davutoglu also underlined that Turkey is confident that Germany's
role will boost Turkey-EU relations. "We believe that Germany's
encouragement on this issue [Turkey's accession process] will set off
a big reaction in Europe," he said, underlining that Turkey expects
to proceed to a new phase in relations with the EU.
Bilateral relations between Turkey and Germany, Turkey's bid to join
the union and the recent political unrest in Turkey are likely to
form the agenda of the meetings that Erdogan is expected to hold with
German officials that include Social Democratic Party (SPD) Chairman
Sigmar Gabriel and Steinmeier as well as Chancellor Angela Merkel.
Erdogan is likely to seek the support of German officials for Turkey's
bid to become a full member of the EU.
However, although Turkey has been trying to refresh its relationship
with the EU, it has recently deteriorated following the exposure of
a corruption investigation and then was further damaged by a draft
bill to restructure the Supreme Board of Judges and Prosecutors
(HSYK). EU officials quickly expressed their uneasiness with the
government's handling of recent developments and issued a number of
statements sharply criticizing the Turkish government. One of the
harshest remarks came from the German foreign minister, who signaled
in mid-January that Turkey's negotiation process is at risk. He warned
Ankara to revise its stance on recent events or Turkey's membership
negotiations with the EU may need to be suspended.
At the press conference, Davutoglu alluded to Steinmeier's remarks,
saying that the two can discuss their opinions on the internal
developments of both countries openly and reciprocally.
While Erdogan was preparing to leave for Berlin, Germany's Christian
Democratic Union (CDU) deputy Erika Steinbach said Erdogan should
apologize to Armenians for the events of 1915. According reports in
Turkish media citing a report of the German daily Bild, Steinbach
called on Erdogan not to deny the genocide committed against Armenians
and Assyrians by the Young Turk government of the Ottoman Empire.