EURLINGS HOPEFUL FOR CHANGES TO EP TURKEY REPORT
ABHaber, Belgium
EU-Turkey News Network
Sept 25 2006
European Parliament Rapporteur on Turkey and Dutch MEP Camiel Eurlings
expressed hope over the weekend that a highly criticized move to
include recognition of claims of Armenian genocide as a precondition
to Turkey’s EU membership in the draft report will be withdrawn.
The European Parliament will discuss this week the key report on
Turkey’s European Union accession together with around a hundred
proposals for amendments on contentious issues like the claims of
Armenian genocide, the Cyprus problem and the pope’s recent remark on
Islam. The report is expected to be voted on in the General Assembly
on Wednesday.
A group of Christian Democrat deputies made a last-minute attempt
late Friday to insert a paragraph to the report condemning angry
Muslim reaction to the pope’s remarks, but Eurlings intervened to
avoid a bigger reaction from the Turkish side, which has already
raised several objections to the elements in the draft report.
Eurlings and two other deputies, Italian MEP Antonio Tajani and British
MEP Charles Tannock, suggested an amendment saying that the EP "hopes
the forthcoming visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Turkey will contribute
to strengthening interreligious and intercultural dialogue between
the Christian and Muslim worlds."
In an interview with Brussels-based web news portal ABHaber.com,
Eurlings expressed regret for the draft report’s misinterpretation
in Turkey and his being perceived as an enemy of Turkey. Eurlings
said that he is hopeful that the last-minute insertion of the claims
of the Armenian genocide claims in the report as a precondition for
Turkey’s EU membership will be taken out.
A considerable number of deputies from the EP’s Socialists and Greens
also raised objection to inclusion of the controversial issue and
demanded change in the wording.
In the interview, Eurlings underlined his firm support to Turkey’s
EU accession and said the draft report also included a perspective
of full membership, not special partnership.
The EP’s draft report levels strong criticisms in a number of issues,
including a slower pace of political reforms, the continuing role of
military in politics, problems faced by non-religious minorities,
Turkey’s reservations to opening its ports to Greek Cypriots, and
demands that Ankara to recognize claims of Armenian genocide and
officially recognize the Greek Cypriot administration.
Turkish officials, in a written memo, briefed MEPs about Turkey’s
efforts in the EU process and raised objections to various elements
mentioned in the report.
Below are excerpts of the draft EP report and objections from the
Turkish side on the two most controversial issues: claims of an
Armenian genocide, and the Cyprus problem.
Claims of Armenian ‘genocide’
– EP report:
Article 50: [The EP] takes note of the proposal by Turkey to
establish a bilateral committee of experts in order to overcome the
tragic experience of the past, and the position of Armenia regarding
that proposal; urges both the Turkish government and the Armenian
government to continue their process of reconciliation leading to a
mutually acceptable proposal; welcomes that, with the recent debates
in Turkey, at least a start has been made with the discussion on the
painful history with Armenia; stresses that, although the recognition
of the [so-called] Armenian genocide as such is formally not one of
the Copenhagen criteria, it is indispensable for a country on the
road to membership to come to terms with and recognize its past;
calls in this respect on the Turkish authorities to facilitate the
work of researchers, intellectuals and academics working on this
question, ensuring them the access to the historical archives and
providing them with all the relevant documents; urges Turkey to
take the necessary steps, without any preconditions, to establish
diplomatic and good neighborly relations with Armenia, to withdraw
the economic blockade and to open the land border at an early date,
in accordance with the resolutions adopted by Parliament between 1987
and 2005, thereby fulfilling the Accession Partnership priorities and
the requirements of the Negotiation Framework on "peaceful settlement
on border disputes" which are both mandatory for EU accession; a
similar position should be adopted for the cases of other minorities
(e.g. the Greeks of Pontos and the Assyrians).
– Turkey’s objection:
Turkey’s foreign policy rests on an overarching principle of developing
good neighborly relations with its neighbors. Armenia does not
represent an exception to this policy. It is, in fact, noteworthy that
Turkey was only second to Lithuania in officially recognizing Armenia’s
independence. (…) Direct flight connections are established between
Istanbul and Yerevan, and seasonally between Antalya and Yerevan,
with a view to facilitate travels of Armenian nationals.
Armenian nationals are welcome to visit Turkey without restrictions.
They are accorded visas valid for 30 days upon their arrival in
Turkey. Over 40,000 Armenian nationals are estimated to reside
in Turkey at any given time, often overstaying their visas, to
seek employment. (..) With an aim to provide fresh impetus for a
rapprochement between Turkey and Armenia, and to help develop an
atmosphere of understanding on a controversial period of our common
history, Turkey has proposed establishing a joint commission of
historians to study the events that took place in 1915. (…) However,
the proceedings geared to boost this proposal have so far not yielded
tangible results due to Armenia’s reluctance to engage with the
process. (…) It is clear that the EP could carry out this moral
undertaking through its leverage to positively influence Armenia. The
European Neighborhood Policy could be employed towards this end.
Cyprus problem
– EP Report:
Article 52: [The EP] expresses its disappointment over the fact that,
in spite of its contractual obligations, Turkey continues to maintain
restrictions against vessels flying the [Greek] Cypriot flag and
vessels approaching from harbors in the [Greek] Republic of Cyprus,
denying them access to Turkish ports, and against [Greek] Cypriot
aircraft, denying them flying rights over Turkey and landing rights
at Turkish airports; reminds Turkey that this practice constitutes
a breach by Turkey of the Association Agreement, the related Customs
Union and the Additional Protocol, as the restrictions infringe the
principle of the free movement of goods; seeks to work with the Turkish
authorities to enable them to comply in full with their obligations in
this respect without seeking to exacerbate domestic political tensions
contrary to the interest of long-term reconciliation for Cyprus;
regrets that Turkey maintains its veto against the participation of
the [Greek] Republic of Cyprus in international organizations and in
multilateral agreements;
– Turkey’s objection:
According to the relevant Turkish legislation, there is no impediment
for the free circulation of products from all EU member states
within the framework of the Turkey-EC Customs Union Agreement. Our
foreign trade figures confirm this fact. There exists a difference of
interpretation between Turkey and the EU as far as the implementation
of the Customs Union is concerned.
At the same time, it should be kept in mind that there exists a
political problem regarding Cyprus, which has been on the agenda of
the UN Security Council for decades. Until this issue is satisfactorily
settled under the UN, we will all have to live with these difficulties
that are actually related to the very problem itself.
Therefore, we believe that Turkey should not be expected to meet
certain deadlines to which it has not bound itself through any mutual
understanding. (…) Turkey has already completed courageous openings
towards the Greek Cypriots. For example, they can freely travel
to Turkey by obtaining entry visas at the border. Bilateral trade
exists. The borders on the island were opened for crossings in 2003.
More unilateral steps will amount to rewarding the "policy of
rejection" of the Greek Cypriot leadership and will help strengthen
the position of the "No" camp in south Cyprus. Is this what the Union
really wants?
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress