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FRANCE WANTS NEW CHAPTERS FOR DEMOCRATIZATION, RULE OF LAW IN TURKEY
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Jan 28 2014
French President Francois Hollande addresses a Turkish-French business
forum in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014. Hollande is in
Turkey for a two-day state visit. (Photo: AP, Emrah Gurel)
28 January 2014 /İSTANBUL, TODAY'S ZAMAN French President Francois
Hollande said on Tuesday that France supports the opening of talks on
new EU chapters, especially on the separation of powers and the rule
of law for democratization in Turkey, comments that came amid the
government's ongoing attempts to control the judiciary in response
to a major corruption investigation.
"The negotiations [accession talks between Turkey and the EU] can be
additional instruments for democratization, the rule of law, freedom
and modernization [in Turkey]. That's why France wants new chapters
to be opened, especially the chapters on the separation of powers and
the rule of law," Hollande said, adding, "Without thinking about what
will happen in the end."
Hollande's watchful support for Turkey on the opening of new chapters
on law, freedom and human rights follows a corruption scandal that hit
Turkey's agenda on Dec. 17 with a wave of high-profile detentions,
including those of three Cabinet minister's sons. The EU has warned
Ankara several times that it should uphold the principles of the
separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary after the
government responded to the corruption probe by reassigning scores
of judges, prosecutors and police officials, including those involved
in the investigation, as well as by restricting the body responsible
for appointments, promotions and removals in the judiciary.
President Abdullah Gul also said on Tuesday that Turkey is very aware
that it won't become a full member automatically after fulfilling
the requirements of the accession chapters and that first it wants
to finalize its accession process successfully. He added that for
Turkey to become a member of the EU requires a referendum in France
as well as in Turkey; however, that is not the issue of today.
After noting that he agreed with Holland's remarks on the focus of
the new chapters, Gul called on Hollande to lift the block on four
of the 35 chapters, but the French President is so far maintaining
his silence on that particular issue.
"Everyone was thinking that -- and it was actually real, but you
changed this reality after becoming president -- France imposed
a political block on many chapters, on five of the chapters. You
removed one of the blocks on a chapter [Chapter 22], but say that you
also lifted others. Turkey may complete them or not. This is another
story, as it [Turkey completing all the chapters] will happen when
Turkey fulfills its duties, not you," Gul said and called on France
to lift the other blocks in order for Turkey to be able to do its
part for accession.
When speaking at the francophone Galatasaray University on the second
day of his visit to Turkey, Hollande also noted that his long-awaited
visit to Turkey was the first presidential visit to Turkey from France
in 22 years, saying, "Twenty-two years may seem long; however, when we
consider that relations date back to the 16th century, it is not that
much. I came to here to save time, as we have a lot to do together."
Francois Hollande is the first French President to visit Turkey since
former President Francois Mitterrand's visit to Turkey in 1992.
Although former French President Nicholas Sarkozy came to Turkey
on the sidelines of the G20 summit in 2011, it is not considered a
presidential visit between the two countries as it was not bilateral.
Hollande also mentioned the events of 1915. He said two countries
sometimes have disagreements on historical issues because they haven't
talked each other in a frank manner for a long time.
"You know the stance of France and I won't say anything different
than I say in France," said Hollande, who believes that there was an
Armenian genocide committed by Turks and has promised in the past to
pursue efforts to criminalize the denial of claims that Armenians were
subjected to genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire. He also
stated that if the Turkish nation were to face up to its own history,
it would make it a more admired and grander nation.
Ankara denies that the events of World War I amount to a genocide,
saying there were killings on both sides when Armenians revolted
against the Ottoman Empire in the hope of establishing an Armenian
state in eastern Anatolia. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
ruled last month that denial of the Armenian genocide claims cannot
be criminalized because it is a matter of free speech.
Later in the day, the French president met with Rakel Dink, the widow
of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was killed in 2007.
While he was at the university, Hollande also awarded the well-known
singer Candan Ercetin, who sings in French as well as Turkish, with
the title Knight of Arts and Literature and the Ordre des Arts et
des Lettres medal.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-337881-france-wants-new-chapters-for-democratization-rule-of-law-in-turkey.html
Today's Zaman, Turkey
Jan 28 2014
French President Francois Hollande addresses a Turkish-French business
forum in Istanbul, Turkey, Tuesday, Jan. 28, 2014. Hollande is in
Turkey for a two-day state visit. (Photo: AP, Emrah Gurel)
28 January 2014 /İSTANBUL, TODAY'S ZAMAN French President Francois
Hollande said on Tuesday that France supports the opening of talks on
new EU chapters, especially on the separation of powers and the rule
of law for democratization in Turkey, comments that came amid the
government's ongoing attempts to control the judiciary in response
to a major corruption investigation.
"The negotiations [accession talks between Turkey and the EU] can be
additional instruments for democratization, the rule of law, freedom
and modernization [in Turkey]. That's why France wants new chapters
to be opened, especially the chapters on the separation of powers and
the rule of law," Hollande said, adding, "Without thinking about what
will happen in the end."
Hollande's watchful support for Turkey on the opening of new chapters
on law, freedom and human rights follows a corruption scandal that hit
Turkey's agenda on Dec. 17 with a wave of high-profile detentions,
including those of three Cabinet minister's sons. The EU has warned
Ankara several times that it should uphold the principles of the
separation of powers and the independence of the judiciary after the
government responded to the corruption probe by reassigning scores
of judges, prosecutors and police officials, including those involved
in the investigation, as well as by restricting the body responsible
for appointments, promotions and removals in the judiciary.
President Abdullah Gul also said on Tuesday that Turkey is very aware
that it won't become a full member automatically after fulfilling
the requirements of the accession chapters and that first it wants
to finalize its accession process successfully. He added that for
Turkey to become a member of the EU requires a referendum in France
as well as in Turkey; however, that is not the issue of today.
After noting that he agreed with Holland's remarks on the focus of
the new chapters, Gul called on Hollande to lift the block on four
of the 35 chapters, but the French President is so far maintaining
his silence on that particular issue.
"Everyone was thinking that -- and it was actually real, but you
changed this reality after becoming president -- France imposed
a political block on many chapters, on five of the chapters. You
removed one of the blocks on a chapter [Chapter 22], but say that you
also lifted others. Turkey may complete them or not. This is another
story, as it [Turkey completing all the chapters] will happen when
Turkey fulfills its duties, not you," Gul said and called on France
to lift the other blocks in order for Turkey to be able to do its
part for accession.
When speaking at the francophone Galatasaray University on the second
day of his visit to Turkey, Hollande also noted that his long-awaited
visit to Turkey was the first presidential visit to Turkey from France
in 22 years, saying, "Twenty-two years may seem long; however, when we
consider that relations date back to the 16th century, it is not that
much. I came to here to save time, as we have a lot to do together."
Francois Hollande is the first French President to visit Turkey since
former President Francois Mitterrand's visit to Turkey in 1992.
Although former French President Nicholas Sarkozy came to Turkey
on the sidelines of the G20 summit in 2011, it is not considered a
presidential visit between the two countries as it was not bilateral.
Hollande also mentioned the events of 1915. He said two countries
sometimes have disagreements on historical issues because they haven't
talked each other in a frank manner for a long time.
"You know the stance of France and I won't say anything different
than I say in France," said Hollande, who believes that there was an
Armenian genocide committed by Turks and has promised in the past to
pursue efforts to criminalize the denial of claims that Armenians were
subjected to genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire. He also
stated that if the Turkish nation were to face up to its own history,
it would make it a more admired and grander nation.
Ankara denies that the events of World War I amount to a genocide,
saying there were killings on both sides when Armenians revolted
against the Ottoman Empire in the hope of establishing an Armenian
state in eastern Anatolia. The European Court of Human Rights (ECHR)
ruled last month that denial of the Armenian genocide claims cannot
be criminalized because it is a matter of free speech.
Later in the day, the French president met with Rakel Dink, the widow
of Turkish-Armenian journalist Hrant Dink, who was killed in 2007.
While he was at the university, Hollande also awarded the well-known
singer Candan Ercetin, who sings in French as well as Turkish, with
the title Knight of Arts and Literature and the Ordre des Arts et
des Lettres medal.
http://www.todayszaman.com/news-337881-france-wants-new-chapters-for-democratization-rule-of-law-in-turkey.html