Turkey: EU Enlargement Commissioner Says Talks Must Not Be Delayed
By Ahto Lobjakas
Radio Free Europe / Radio Liberty
Tuesday, 13 September 2005
(AFP)
EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn told the European Parliament’s
Foreign Relations Committee today that Turkey has cleared all hurdles
necessary to start accession talks on 3 October, as planned. However,
he said EU member states, which must make the final decision on
Turkey’s eventual EU membership, are still hotly debating the issue. A
key point in this debate is when and if Turkey should recognize the
Greek government of divided Cyprus, an EU member.
Brussels, 13 September 2005 (RFE/RL) — Commissioner Rehn repeated his
long-held view that the EU has no grounds to delay launching accession
talks with Turkey.
He said EU member states gave Turkey two conditions at a summit last
December, both of which Ankara has now fulfilled.
`There was a unanimous decision by the European Council that they
expected Turkey to fulfill two conditions: the entry into force of the
six pieces of legislation that were essential for the legal and
political [accession] criteria, and the signature by Turkey of the
adaptation protocol of the Ankara agreement [creating a customs union
with the EU] knowing that this would not amount to an explicit, formal
recognition [of Cyprus]. These two conditions are now met,’ Rehn said.
However, Rehn conceded that EU member states are still locked in what
he described as `heated’ debates. These are expected to culminate in
an unscheduled meeting of EU foreign ministers in Brussels on 26
September.
Before negotiations can start with Turkey, the EU must adopt two key
documents.
One is the so-called `negotiating mandate’ allowing the European
Commission to start talks. The other is a `counter-declaration’ to a
statement last July in which Turkey said its extension of the existing
customs union with the EU — the so-called Ankara Protocol — to the
10 new EU members does not amount to a recognition of Greek Cyprus.
A previous draft of the counter-declaration urged Turkey to normalize
its relations with Nicosia. Turkey is the only country to formally
acknowledge the Turkish side of Cyprus as an independent state.
The wording of these two EU documents will be crucial. Diplomats in
Brussels say the EU’s British presidency has struck a deal with France
effectively removing the threat of a formal EU stipulation that the
talks could lead to a `privileged partnership’ rather than full
membership.
Rehn today sought to allay the latent anxiety many member states feel
about the long-term consequences of Turkish membership. He noted that
as all member states need to unanimously approve all of the 35
chapters into which accession talks have been divided, opportunities
to put a brake on the process abound.
`The member states will have to approve unanimously all the documents
[concerning] the negotiations on each and every chapter. That means
that there will be 35 decisions to be taken concerning the opening of
chapters and 35 decisions concerning the closing of chapters, and
perhaps in 10 or 15 years’ [time] a decision concerning the possible
closing of negotiations. This means that after the opening of the
negotiations has been decided there will be all together 71
`veto-points’ for each member state,’ Rehn said.
Rehn said some EU policy areas would remain closed for Turkey, while
permanent safeguard measures would be put in place to block
immigration from the country. Also, he said, Turkey would be subject
to rigorous monitoring by the European Commission. The commission is
issuing annual `progress reports,’ the next of which is due on 9
November.
However, Cyprus remains a stumbling block. Turkey’s overt repetition
of the fact it does not recognize Cyprus continues to raise hackles in
the EU. To add insult to injury, Turkey also refuses to implement the
extended customs union with the EU when it comes to Cyprus. Its ports
and airports remain closed to Cypriot boats and planes.
The Cypriot government today warned it is ready to veto the start of
accession talks with Turkey.
Rehn sought to steer a cautious course. He said the issues with Cyprus
do not have to be resolved before 3 October. He said Turkey would be
forced to accept Cypriot transport or find itself unable to end talks
on some chapters.
Rehn said it is `evident’ Turkey must recognize Cyprus by the time it
accedes to the EU.
But Rehn also sought to pressure Cyprus. He noted that it was the
Greek part of Cyprus that voted down a UN compromise last year in a
referendum. Had they not done so, Rehn noted, the problem of
recognition would not exist today.
He obliquely criticized Cyprus for single-handedly blocking an EU aid
package to the Turkish part of Cyprus worth hundreds of millions of
euros.
`It is regrettable that those who have in fact suffered from the
current situation are in the first place the Turkish Cypriot
community, because regardless of our decisions more than a year ago,
we have not been able to provide the package on financial assistance
and direct trade, which would help in ending the economic isolation of
the northern part of Cyprus and enhancing economic development and
trade relations in that part of the island — which is also necessary
to facilitate a comprehensive settlement in Cyprus,’ Rehn said.
Currently, the EU views northern Cyprus as EU territory where EU laws
are suspended.
Responding to criticism voiced by some European Parliament deputies
today, Rehn said the recent indictment in Turkey of the celebrated
author Orhan Pamuk is `clearly in breach of the principles of the
European Convention on Human Rights.’
Pamuk was indicted earlier this month after he spoke of the `genocide’
of Turkey’s Armenian population during World War I. A prosecutor in
Istanbul said his remarks amounted to a “public denigration” of
Turkish identity.
Rehn said the decision by an Istanbul district judge to set 16
December as the trial date is a `provocation’ — as it was on that day
last year that the EU summit decided to authorize accession talks with
Turkey.