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Hurriyet Daily News, Turkey
Jan 25 2014
France seeks to put Turkish ties back on track
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Barçın Yinanç[email protected]
French President François Hollande is set to embark on a landmark
visit to Turkey, becoming the first Gallic head of state to make a
formal trip to the country in 22 years for a visit designed to repair
the nations' frayed ties.
Paris appears set on putting relations back on track and tapping
Turkey's economic potential, as the visit will feature the signing of
a number of agreements on cooperation in various fields.
The visit comes after difficult years in bilateral ties under the
presidency of Hollande's predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, whose strong
views against Turkey's bid for European Union membership strained
relations between the two capitals.
Although Turkey excluded French companies from giant projects whenever
possible, economic relations were not seriously affected, as France
remained one of the biggest investors in Turkey. But France `
currently the sixth biggest investor in Turkey ` would like to make
full use of the economic potential it sees in Turkey.
France's interests include energy, infrastructure and transportation,
with a special focus on air travel and railways. Turkish Airlines is
one of the important most important clients for Airbus, while a
Japanese-French alliance led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and
France's Areva will build Turkey's second nuclear power plant. The
growth of the Turkish middle class also appears to have raised the
appetite of the French business community, as there is increasing
interest in the agriculture and health sectors.
In order to improve the political climate with Ankara to clear the way
for increased economic cooperation, Hollande will try to dispel the
image that France is blocking Turkey's EU accession.
Paris believes that the approach endorsed by Sarkozy, who blocked
entry talks on five chapters, has not proved effective and that
maintaining a dialogue between Turkey and the EU will ensure that the
union can continue to encourage a continuation of reforms.
Despite the optimism, there are question marks among opinion makers in
Paris about the timing of the visit, as the Turkish government is
under criticism for what is perceived as undemocratic steps to cover
up corruption charges.
Ultimately, the talks seem likely to continue on from Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an's discussions in Brussels this past week, with
Hollande expected to again urge respect for the rule of law and the
democratic separation of powers.
Hollande is expected to endorse German Chancellor Angela Merkel's
maxim to remain loyal to prior commitments to the EU. As elections for
the European Parliament approach, the Élysée Palace has given the
message to Turkey skeptics in France that the process will be very
long and open-ended and that the decision will ultimately be made by
the citizens of Turkey and Europe ` an indication that there will be
referenda prior to Turkey's entry.
While France has already made a gesture by lifting its veto on one of
the accession chapters last November, it remains unclear whether
Hollande's messages will convince Ankara, since Paris has put the ball
in the EU's court in terms of the remaining chapters.
Sarkozy had blocked talks on economic and monetary policy, agriculture
and rural development, regional policy and coordination of structural
instruments, institutions and financial and budgetary provisions.
France lifted its veto talks on the regional policy chapter last year,
while the blockage on agriculture and rural development stems not only
from France but also from a European Commission decision made in
reaction to Turkey's refusal to allow Greek Cypriot ships to use its
ports.
Developments in Syria, Iran, Afghanistan and Cyprus will be the main
items on the agenda as Hollande will hold separate talks with
President Abdullah Gül and ErdoÄ?an. Hollande will also meet Kemal
KılıçdaroÄ?lu, the head of the main opposition party Republican
People's Party (CHP).
The Armenian question will also be raised during the talks ahead of
the Armenian community's efforts to commemorate the centenary of what
they and many others around the world term a genocide, the World War
I-era mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
Hollande and his ministers could also raise the case of Pınar Selek, a
41-year-old academic who, despite being cleared three times of
complicity in a 1998 explosion in Istanbul, was sentenced to life
imprisonment by a Turkish court in January 2013. Representatives of
French civil society have called on Hollande to raise the subject
during his visit. Selek is currently living in exile in France.
After holding talks in Ankara, Hollande will go to Istanbul to deliver
a speech at Galatasaray University. Accompanied by French business
leaders, he will participate together with Gül in an economic forum
during which he will also meet members of the Turkish business
community, as Paris is interested in seeing more Turkish investment in
France.
Seven ministers will be accompanying Hollande, including Foreign
Minister Laurent Fabius; External Commerce Minister Nicole Bricq;
Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg; Ecology, Sustainable Development
and Energy Minister Phillipe Martin; Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le
Drian; Higher Education Minister Geneviève Fioraso and Agriculture and
Forestry Minister Stéphane le Foll.
January/25/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/france-seeks-to-put-turkish-ties-back-on-track.aspx?pageID=238&nID=61551&NewsCatID=351
Jan 25 2014
France seeks to put Turkish ties back on track
ISTANBUL - Hürriyet Daily News
Barçın Yinanç[email protected]
French President François Hollande is set to embark on a landmark
visit to Turkey, becoming the first Gallic head of state to make a
formal trip to the country in 22 years for a visit designed to repair
the nations' frayed ties.
Paris appears set on putting relations back on track and tapping
Turkey's economic potential, as the visit will feature the signing of
a number of agreements on cooperation in various fields.
The visit comes after difficult years in bilateral ties under the
presidency of Hollande's predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, whose strong
views against Turkey's bid for European Union membership strained
relations between the two capitals.
Although Turkey excluded French companies from giant projects whenever
possible, economic relations were not seriously affected, as France
remained one of the biggest investors in Turkey. But France `
currently the sixth biggest investor in Turkey ` would like to make
full use of the economic potential it sees in Turkey.
France's interests include energy, infrastructure and transportation,
with a special focus on air travel and railways. Turkish Airlines is
one of the important most important clients for Airbus, while a
Japanese-French alliance led by Mitsubishi Heavy Industries and
France's Areva will build Turkey's second nuclear power plant. The
growth of the Turkish middle class also appears to have raised the
appetite of the French business community, as there is increasing
interest in the agriculture and health sectors.
In order to improve the political climate with Ankara to clear the way
for increased economic cooperation, Hollande will try to dispel the
image that France is blocking Turkey's EU accession.
Paris believes that the approach endorsed by Sarkozy, who blocked
entry talks on five chapters, has not proved effective and that
maintaining a dialogue between Turkey and the EU will ensure that the
union can continue to encourage a continuation of reforms.
Despite the optimism, there are question marks among opinion makers in
Paris about the timing of the visit, as the Turkish government is
under criticism for what is perceived as undemocratic steps to cover
up corruption charges.
Ultimately, the talks seem likely to continue on from Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip ErdoÄ?an's discussions in Brussels this past week, with
Hollande expected to again urge respect for the rule of law and the
democratic separation of powers.
Hollande is expected to endorse German Chancellor Angela Merkel's
maxim to remain loyal to prior commitments to the EU. As elections for
the European Parliament approach, the Élysée Palace has given the
message to Turkey skeptics in France that the process will be very
long and open-ended and that the decision will ultimately be made by
the citizens of Turkey and Europe ` an indication that there will be
referenda prior to Turkey's entry.
While France has already made a gesture by lifting its veto on one of
the accession chapters last November, it remains unclear whether
Hollande's messages will convince Ankara, since Paris has put the ball
in the EU's court in terms of the remaining chapters.
Sarkozy had blocked talks on economic and monetary policy, agriculture
and rural development, regional policy and coordination of structural
instruments, institutions and financial and budgetary provisions.
France lifted its veto talks on the regional policy chapter last year,
while the blockage on agriculture and rural development stems not only
from France but also from a European Commission decision made in
reaction to Turkey's refusal to allow Greek Cypriot ships to use its
ports.
Developments in Syria, Iran, Afghanistan and Cyprus will be the main
items on the agenda as Hollande will hold separate talks with
President Abdullah Gül and ErdoÄ?an. Hollande will also meet Kemal
KılıçdaroÄ?lu, the head of the main opposition party Republican
People's Party (CHP).
The Armenian question will also be raised during the talks ahead of
the Armenian community's efforts to commemorate the centenary of what
they and many others around the world term a genocide, the World War
I-era mass killings of Armenians in the Ottoman Empire.
Hollande and his ministers could also raise the case of Pınar Selek, a
41-year-old academic who, despite being cleared three times of
complicity in a 1998 explosion in Istanbul, was sentenced to life
imprisonment by a Turkish court in January 2013. Representatives of
French civil society have called on Hollande to raise the subject
during his visit. Selek is currently living in exile in France.
After holding talks in Ankara, Hollande will go to Istanbul to deliver
a speech at Galatasaray University. Accompanied by French business
leaders, he will participate together with Gül in an economic forum
during which he will also meet members of the Turkish business
community, as Paris is interested in seeing more Turkish investment in
France.
Seven ministers will be accompanying Hollande, including Foreign
Minister Laurent Fabius; External Commerce Minister Nicole Bricq;
Industry Minister Arnaud Montebourg; Ecology, Sustainable Development
and Energy Minister Phillipe Martin; Defense Minister Jean-Yves Le
Drian; Higher Education Minister Geneviève Fioraso and Agriculture and
Forestry Minister Stéphane le Foll.
January/25/2014
http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/france-seeks-to-put-turkish-ties-back-on-track.aspx?pageID=238&nID=61551&NewsCatID=351