Author: Karakhanian Suren

Feature – Ali Babacan: Turkey’s European face
By Myria Antoniadou

Cyprus Mail, Cyprus
July 17 2005

HIS appointment took much longer than was expected. It was said the
various forces within Turkey were trying to impose their own man for
the country’s top EU-related job.

Finally, under the pressure for Ankara to show it was on track despite
growing anti-Turkish public sentiment and frustration at the Commission
for the delay, Prime Minister Erdogan imposed his will: Ali Babacan,
the 38-year-old US trained Finance Minister and founding member of
the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) was also appointed
chief negotiator in the talks with the EU on June 3.

This week, Babacan was in Brussels for acquaintance meetings with some
Commissioners and his first public appearance, before the European
Parliament. What was obvious was that Babacan still has a long way to
go until he learns the ins and outs of the EU, and, more importantly,
how to handle them.

One issue many agree on is that the young Turkish Finance Minister,
who did his Master’s in Business Management on a US Fulbright
scholarship, is clever and a very hard worker. He is the neo-liberal or
‘anglo-saxon’ face of Turkey.

After his studies, he stayed on in the US doing financial consulting to
top executives of major banks and managing projects. In 1994 he became
chairman of his family’s textile business, being the first to introduce
wholesale mail order in this area, while at the same time he was chief
advisor to Ankara’s mayor securing financing for important projects.

Babacan also managed relations with the World Bank and is widely
respected as the driving force behind market reforms that have won
billions of dollars in International Monetary Fund support, and helped
bring the country out of deep financial crisis.

However, what helped him become popular in Turkey may backfire on
him on the EU level. Before the European Parliament Foreign Affairs
Committee on Tuesday, he spent the large part of his 30-minute speech
on Turkey’s economy. Babacan painted a rosy picture of the years
ahead, in response to the concerns that Turkey’s accession would be
a financial burden to Europe and would signal an influx of immigrants.

“He tried convincing us that if we do not all invest in Turkey,
we are set to lose, but did not respond to the political concerns,”
one person commented. MEPs, who are politicians and therefore do
not adopt the milder stance of diplomats or commission officials,
have expressed disappointment because in their two-hour exchange of
views he did not really reply to their questions.

Quite a few members of the Foreign Relations Committee, the Mail
has learned, believe that not only was he evasive, but he lingered
in his replies. Those from the Christian Democrat (EPP-ED) group,
which is divided over Turkey’s accession, were particularly critical,
showing the tough times ahead for Ankara’s officials.

Cypriot member of the Committee and former foreign minister, Ioannis
Kasoulides, told the Sunday Mail Babacan was very evasive and caused
frustration among some members. He noted the Turkish negotiator
did not reply to concrete political questions with precision and in
substance, especially on the need for Turkey to recognise Cyprus,
address the Armenian question and safeguard freedoms and rights of
religious minorities.

On Cyprus and the Armenian issue, Babacan restricted himself to
recalling statements made by the Turkish Premier and the Foreign
Minister.

In addition, he called for “care” in public statements because the
people of Turkey “can be offended”, something which did not go down
well in Brussels. MEPs from new member states also rejected his claims
that the EU is being more strict with Turkey.

These criticisms were raised in writing by Dr Renata Sommers, MEP
for Germany’s Christian Democrat party (CDU), expected to win the
upcoming elections. In a press release, she expressed dismay with
Babacan’s rejection of Turkey being offered a privileged partnership,
an issue expected to be raised quite often in the months ahead.

To some extent, Babacan maintains the general Turkish attitude of
not really understanding the long and difficult process beginning
in October. Ankara, as some eurocrats and diplomats say, does not
realise there is nothing much to negotiate on, as it is an exercise
of determining the changes to be made for Turkey to align with EU
rules and regulations.

However, it seems the soft-spoken Turkish official had a more timid
stance in his meetings with Commissioners, to the extent that he
appeared slightly nervous, according to EU sources. Babacan came
across as aware of the difficulties ahead and the negative climate
towards Turkish accession in some quarters, and assured he would work
hard to keep his country on track.

>>From October 3 onwards, this young Turkish official, of conservative
Muslim background, will be Turkey’s European face and will come
under much scrutiny, not only in his country, but in 25 states across
the continent.

A1plus

| 20:04:46 | 08-07-2005 | Official |

POWER IS NOT IN SIZE

The President of the Nagorno Karabakh Republic referred to the announcement
of the OSCE PA President special representative of the NKR conflict Goran
Lenmarker in which he said he was against the recognition of the
independence of the NKR, saying the following, «I must say it clearly – we
cannot allow the creation of several small republics in the region. There
must be three powerful republics which must be treated with respect».

Arkadi Ghoukasyan has said, `This is a political, not a judicial approach.
Recognizing the Southern Caucasus region part of Europe Mr. Lenmarker sees
danger in the recognition of small republics. Following this logics, the
Europeans must start a combat against Monaco or Luxemburg.

I think the power of the country has nothing to do with its size. Only the
ability of the nation to be responsible for its fate, the level of
organization and the correspondence of the ideology to the preset stage of
civilization can be real criteria. Nagorno Karabakh corresponds to those
criteria’.

ENCYCLOPEDIA “ARTSAKH-KARABAKH” PRESENTED IN STEPANAKERT

STEPANAKERT, JULY 7. ARMINFO. The encyclopedia “Artsakh-Karabakh,”
the Petropolis printing house (St.Petersburg, Russia) has been
presented in Stepanakert.

The author of the encyclopedia, professor Sergey Sarkissyan was born
in Karabakh but lives in Moscow. He says that in his book he tried to
present the life of Artsakh-Karabakh and the activities of well-known
Karabakh natives living worldwide. The encyclopedia is also to provide
moral support to the Nagorno Karabakh Republic in its way towards
international recognition. “I have hurried with the book as Azerbaijan
is steadily whipping up its propaganda war. So this encyclopedia is
also of ideological importance,” says Sarkissyan noting that he is
going to have the book translated into English.-0

AGBU Press Office
55 East 59th Street
New York, NY 10022-1112
Phone: 212.319.6383, x137
Fax: 212.319.6507
Email: [email protected]
Website:

PRESS RELEASE

Tuesday, July 5, 2005

AGBU LEBANON DISTRICT HONORS GARBIS MARKARIAN

New York, NY – AGBU Lebanon District recognized Garbis Markarian for
five decades of distinguished service to the Armenian Lebanese
community at a special event organized in his honor on May 20,
2005. Markarian, AGBU District Committee of Lebanon Vice Chairperson,
was presented with the Order of St. Nerses Shnorhali and an encyclical
from His Holiness Karekin II, Catholicos of All Armenians. This
special evening was attended by over 300 local dignitaries, community
leaders, AGBU members and friends.

The guest of honor received congratulatory messages from Armenia’s
Ambassador to Lebanon Areg Hovhannisian, AGBU President Berge
Setrakian, AGBU District Committee of Lebanon and AGBU Antranik Youth
Association (AYA). Markarian also received plaques from AGBU and the
Union of Manufacturers of Lebanon. In his remarks, Avedis Demirdjian,
AGBU District Committee of Lebanon Chairperson, said the District
Committee and the entire AGBU family were proud to honor Markarian who
has dedicated his life to serving AGBU and AYA, where he served as
Chairperson for many years.

“This event is a well-deserved appreciation for your selfless service
and contribution to the Lebanese Armenian community and to AGBU,” said
AGBU President Berge Setrakian in his congratulatory message, thanking
Markarian’s family, wife Aida Markarian and children, for their
enormous support.

In his closing remarks, Markarian, deeply moved, said, “At this
moment, I live… perhaps the most special moment in my life…I can
proudly say that I am happy to have served my Union and my nation,
remaining faithful to Lebanon, Armenia and Holy Etchmiadzin…”

AGBU Lebanon District is dedicated to preserving and promoting the
Armenian heritage and culture through humanitarian, educational and
cultural programs. For more information on AGBU Lebanon District,
please email [email protected] or visit

For more information on AGBU and its worldwide chapters, please visit

A1plus

| 14:54:39 | 01-07-2005 | Official |

ARMAVIA APOLOGIZES

For the last few days because of technical reasons some flights realized by
the company «Armavia» are realized with delay which causes the righteous
complaints of the passengers.

The company «Armavia» apologizes for the delays and asks to approach the
temporary problems with understanding. In the closes future all the
technical problems will be solved and «Armavia» will represent itself newly
in the market.

The Messenger, Georgia
July 1 2005

NATO-Russia: new balance in the South Caucasus

The balance of power in the South Caucasus is shifting. The agreement
reached regarding the withdrawal of the Russian military bases from
the territory of Georgia along with Georgia and Azerbaijan
intensifying their efforts to integrate into NATO suggest that
Russian military influence is on the wane while NATO is gaining
influence.

Speaking in Moscow on June 24, NATO General Secretary Jaap de Hoop
Scheffer responded to questions as to whether Georgia and Ukraine
will become NATO members by saying, “the door of NATO is open for
everybody,” but the integration of Georgia and Ukraine “will not be
fulfilled as quickly as Georgia and Ukraine want because these
countries are not ready for NATO yet.” Scheffer denied rumors that as
soon as the Russian military bases leave Georgia they will be rapidly
replaced by NATO military forces. “We do not have such plans,
intentions or desires. NATO simply does not have enough military
forces to be stationed everywhere,” he said.

Nevertheless, despite repeated statements of Georgian and NATO
officials that NATO bases will not be deployed in Georgia, it is
clear that in parallel with the weakening of Russian military
influence, NATO’s cooperation with the South Caucasus countries is
deepening. It is clear too that this greatly irritates Russia. “The
increased attention that NATO is paying to the South Caucasus and
Central Asia cannot but irritate Russia,” Deputy Speaker of the
Russian Duma Liubov Sliska stated during a meeting with Scheffer.

Sliska added that NATO’s increasing influence in the region could
jeopardize the peaceful resolution of conflicts in the southern
Caucasus. “There is the possibility that the appearance of this new
strong military-political player in these countries could complicate
the elaboration of those formats that were established during the
negotiation processes. This could create a serious risk,” he said as
quoted by Rezonansi.

This should be of little concern as the ongoing conflicts are highly
unlikely ever to be resolved through “the established formats of the
negotiations” which are intended primarily to maintain Russia’s
influence in the region. Indeed, it is widely accepted in Georgia
that the peaceful resolution of the conflicts in Abkhazia and South
Ossetia requires the internationalization of the peace process.
Although NATO has repeatedly stressed that it will not intervene
directly in the conflicts, the increased attention it is paying to
the region is to be welcomed.

This increased attention can be seen in a statement by Robert
Simmons, the special representative of NATO to the South Caucasus and
Asia, who said last week that if Armenia did not want Russian
military bases to remain on its territory, NATO would be happy to
assist. Few analysts expect Yerevan to respond to this offer, not
only because of the long-established alliance between Russia and
Armenia, but also Moscow’s support of Yerevan in Nagorno-Karabakh,
but the statement does raise the possibility of deepening
collaboration with the west.

Furthermore, on June 16, Armenian Minister of Foreign Affairs Vardan
Oskanian presented the NATO Council with a program of individual
collaboration between Armenia and NATO. Oskanian named this document
a “turning point” in NATO-Armenian relations, suggesting that Armenia
is following Georgia and Azerbaijan in their efforts to join NATO. It
remains to be seen whether Yerevan will be able to achieve this while
retaining good relations with Russia.

Georgian membership of NATO remains some way off, while membership of
the European Union lies even further. Nevertheless, it is a fact that
Georgian and Ukrainian velvet revolutions have led to a shift in the
balance of power in the region, particularly in leading to an
acceleration in NATO’s eastward expansion.

Euro-reporters, Belgium
June 30 2005

OSCE’s future

Written by Brussels journalist David Ferguson
Thursday, 30 June 2005

“What the 55 States of the OSCE need to do is to rediscover a sense
of common purpose in addressing issues that are common to them all. I
hope that the recommendations contained in this report will help to
work towards that end,” says OSCE Chair-in-Office, and Slovenian
Foreign Minister, Dimitrij Rupel. An all-male ‘Panel of Eminent
Persons’ today presented a 32-page report on strengthening the
55-nation security Organization.

The report, entitled ‘Common Purpose’, comes just ahead of a meeting
in Washington of nearly 300 parliamentarians from the Organization
for Security and Co-operation in Europe (1-5 July). Since enlargement
of the European Union in May 2004 to include Central European and
Baltic states, as well as Cyprus and Malta, pan-European and regional
organizations like the Council of Europe and the OSCE have been
forced to consider major rethinks.

Other pressure came from Russia. The Kremlin earlier this year put
pressure on the OSCE by holding up payments to the ~@168 million
budget. The spat with Moscow was less about money but more about the
30-year old OSCE redefining itself as a democratic quality assurance
authority. OSCE election monitoring in Georgia and Ukraine, and
complaints about rigged Belarus polls, were seen by the Kremlin as
allowing pro-Western opposition parties sweep to power following
rigged elections. “Russia wants to make a point. It wants less of
human rights and human security and more focus on military, economic
and environmental issues,” Dutch ambassador to the OSCE Daan Everts
told the International Herald Tribune.

For Russian Duma deputy Leonid Ivanchenko, the OSCE has engaged in
too much finger-pointing only at former Communist countries in
Eastern Europe and Central Asia. “Out of 20 OSCE missions functioning
today six operate in the Balkans, five in Central Asia, three in the
Caucasus, and six in Eastern Europe,” notes Ivanchenko. “There is not
a single mission west of Vienna – as if there exist no Northern
Ireland, Cyprus, the Basque Country or Corsica with their problems.”
Too often, Ivanchenko feels, the OSCE fails to criticize abuse of
human rights and democratic freedoms in the US or other Western
members of the OSCE.

Ivanchenko’s views, together with those of other OSCE
parliamentarians, were handed over last Friday in a report on the
‘Future of the OSCE’ by OSCE Parliamentary Assembly President,
Florida Congressman Alcee L. Hastings to OSCE chair Dimitrij Rupel.
One of the rapporteurs with views diametrically opposed to those of
Ivanchenko was Flemish MP Pieter De Crem. “During the last decade of
the twentieth century, the Balkans were the OSCE’s main area of
operation,” states De Crem.

“Now that other institutions ~V the UN, the EU and NATO ~V are
increasingly involved in reconstruction, state building and security,
we feel that the OSCE could increasingly shift its attention and
resources towards areas where the OSCE space, the former Soviet Union
and the Muslim cultural spheres meet and overlap each other: Central
Asia and the Caucasus,” continues De Crem, whose report will also be
discussed at the OSCE Parliamentary Assembly in Washington.

Like many of the other 300 OSCE parliamentarians, De Crem also wants
more democratic accountability from the OSCE chair and secretariat in
Vienna. “We not only need the willingness of the executive branch of
the OSCE to accept that the PA, like any parliamentary assembly, asks
the OSCE-chairmanship and the OSCE-agencies to justify its actions on
a number of policy issues, but also to give the PA the appropriate
instruments to do so,” he notes.

De Crem also wants a debate on whether the name ‘Organization for
Security and Cooperation in Europe’ is too euro-centric. “Given the
Cold War background of the Helsinki initiative and the CSCE~Rs initial
quality of meeting platform for NATO and Warsaw Pact states, and as
long as the OSCE~Rs operational focus was on the Balkans and
Southeastern Europe, the emphasis on Europe in the OSCE~Rs name made
sense,” he writes.

“Almost one and a half decade after the demise of the Soviet Union,
the OSCE groups eight member states that are technically situated in
Asia and one key player, the Russian Federation, that is genuinely
Eurasian,” continues De Crem. “Moreover, the southern ex-Soviet
republics border the Middle East and face situations that are
increasingly infulenced by developments in the latter region.
Therefore, we could consider whether after 30 years, ‘from Vancouver
to Vladivostok’ reflects a Atlantic-Eurasian more than a strictly
European cooperation.”

OSCE parliamentarians’ meeting in Washington will be addressed by top
officials including US Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and OSCE
Chair-in-Office, Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel. Also on
the agenda are issues ranging from anti-semitism, gender equality,
election observations, Nagorno-Karabakh, the continued Russian
occupation of Abkhazia (Georgia) and Transnistria (Moldova), human
trafficking, and democratic rights.

FULL-SCALE INTRODUCTION OF CONSTITUTIONAL REFORMS PROJECT TO ARMENIAN
PEOPLE TO ENSURE SUCCESS TO THE REFERENDUM

YEREVAN, June 29. /ARKA/. Full-scale introduction of constitutional
reforms project to Armenian people will ensure success to the
referendum, Armenian President Robert Kocharyan said Tuesday during
his meeting with Roland Wegener, the head of the Ministerial Committee
of the Council of Europe, Ago Group and German Ambassador to the
CE. Kocharyan said Armenia passed a long road of reforms that derive
from Armenia’s commitments toward the CE and intends to summarize
what has been done by the end of the year.

Wegener, in turn, noted that Armenia has accomplished a great deal in
fulfillment of its CE commitments. In his words, considerable progress
is seen in constitutional reforms implementation. He attached great
importance to creating climate of mutual understanding over the
worked-out document. M.V. -0–

Turkish Press
June 28 2005

Press Scan

HURRIYET

“TURKEY’S REQUEST CANNOT BE MET”

President Robert Kocharian of Armenia said that Turkey wanted them
to give up Upper Karabakh and allegations of genocide, adding that
those requests could not be met. He stressed that they could sit at
the negotiation table with Turkey unconditionally.

Pendant la crise, la Turquie bosse fort; Europe
par Demetz Jean-Michel; Ortaq Nukte V.

L’Express
27 juin 2005

Loin de baisser les bras, a l’heure où la zizanie règne au sein de
l’Union, les dirigeants d’Ankara s’efforcent d’etre au rendez-vous de
l’adhesion

TEXTE-ARTICLE:

Depuis la terrasse du Besinci Kat, ce cafe branche de Taksim, la vue
s’etale, genereuse, sur le Bosphore aux eaux vives. En face, sur la
rive encore boisee commence l’Asie et, pour beaucoup d’Europeens –
Francais en tete – le problème. “Les non francais et neerlandais
ont confirme l’apprehension des Turcs, analyse l’universitaire
Cengiz Aktar. Nous sommes très favorables a l’adhesion de la
Turquie a l’Union europeenne, mais en meme temps nous doutons que
nous en ferons un jour partie.” Ce francophile qui travaille sur la
candidature d’Istanbul au titre de “capitale culturelle europeenne”
en 2010 ne cache pas sa lassitude, face a cet Occident complique.
“L’Europe ne peut pas etre une grande Suisse, en paix et prospère,
quand ses frontières brûlent, argumente-t-il. Une Turquie dans l’Union,
c’est l’espoir de la rue arabo-musulmane, qui voit dans ce voisinage
europeen un gage de stabilite et de prosperite. C’est a l’Europe,
pas a l’Amerique, de dessiner le Grand Moyen-Orient de demain!”

Mais l’Europe est-elle prete a relever un defi dont l’ampleur
l’effraie? En decembre 2004, les Vingt-Cinq avaient fixe au 3 octobre
l’ouverture des negociations en vue de l’adhesion d’Ankara. A
Bruxelles, pourtant, lors du sommet europeen des 16 et 17 juin,
Jacques Chirac et le president de la Commission europeenne,
Jose Manuel Barroso, ont affirme qu’il fallait reflechir sur les
frontières de l’Europe tout en tenant les engagements deja pris.
Comprenne qui pourra… Il est vrai que la candidature turque se
heurte a l’opposition d’une majorite de l’opinion dans cinq pays
(France, Allemagne, Pays-Bas, Autriche, Danemark). Surtout, les
victoires annoncees d’Angela Merkel, la candidate de la CDU allemande
a la chancellerie, cet automne, et de Nicolas Sarkozy a l’Elysee, en
2007, inquiètent: contrairement au duo Chirac-Schroder, favorable a
une pleine adhesion d’Ankara, les deux dirigeants ont claironne leur
preference pour un “partenariat privilegie” aux contours encore flous.

La position officielle du gouvernement turc, elle, ne varie pas. “Le
“partenariat privilegie” existe deja, resume Ahmet Sever, conseiller
du ministre des Affaires etrangères, Abdullah Gul. Le lancement des
negociations en vue de l’adhesion est irreversible, mais nous savons
que les discussions seront longues et difficiles. D’ici a dix ans,
toutefois, si la Turquie a persevere sur la voie des reformes,
la perception de notre pays aura change.” Le depute Salih Kapusuz
(AK Parti) rencherit: “La France a toujours eu des problèmes avec
l’elargissement, avec le Royaume-Uni d’abord, puis avec l’Espagne. A
la fin, l’Union a reussi son integration regionale mais, pour reussir
son integration globale, elle aura besoin de la Turquie.” Tout juste
nomme negociateur en chef pour le dossier d’adhesion, le ministre
de l’Economie, Ali Babacan, affiche un zèle reformiste impeccable:
“Nous allons passer tout notre système en revue de A a Z.” L’elite
politique veut encore croire qu’une democratisation des institutions
et une forte croissance de l’economie pourront rendre acceptable la
candidature turque a l’horizon 2015-2020. Le syndicat patronal turc ne
prevoit-il pas de 4,5 a 6% de croissance annuelle pour les dix a douze
ans a venir, avec une inflation maîtrisee a 5%? En 2004, d’ailleurs,
l’economie a fait un bond de 9,7% de croissance – mieux que la Chine!

Le train des reformes ne ralentit pas. Voila trois ans que Pinar
Ilkkaracan discutait, en amont, avec les deputes, pour preparer le
travail des commissions sur les droits de la femme. Le Code penal,
qui datait des annees 1920, etait inspire de celui de l’Italie
fasciste. Sous la pression des Europeens, un Code modernise a vu le
jour le 1er juin. “Le nouveau texte est une revolution pour la femme,
s’enthousiasme cette avocate du feminisme turc. Une reconnaissance
de l’autonomie du sujet.” Elle liste les avancees: le viol conjugal
est desormais criminalise (il ne l’est pas encore en Grèce); la
definition du viol et des abus sexuels est elargie – ce n’est plus
un crime contre la chastete mais contre le corps de l’individu. Toute
une terminologie sur l’honneur, la virginite, la honte a ete effacee.
Les circonstances attenuantes prevues pour les crimes d’honneur ont
disparu; des circonstances aggravantes ont ete introduites pour les
“crimes coutumiers”. “Tous les crimes sexuels etaient consideres
jusqu’alors comme des crimes contre la societe, poursuit-elle. Ils
sont desormais reconnus comme des crimes contre la personne. Le
vieux système patriarcal a vole en eclats.” Pinar Ilkkaracan n’a pas
tout obtenu. La loi ne punit pas les discriminations sur la base de
l’orientation sexuelle et l’avortement (legal en Turquie depuis 1972,
deux avant la France) n’est possible que pendant les dix premières
semaines de la grossesse (et pas douze comme en France depuis 1992
et comme les feministes turques le souhaiteraient). Surtout, beaucoup
dependra desormais de l’application du Code par les juges.

C’est la principale source d’inquietude des partisans de la reforme.
Comment changer vite les vieilles habitudes de la bureaucratie,
des policiers, des magistrats? Un immense travail de formation
reste a mener. Excusees, dans un premier temps, par le ministre de
la Justice, les brutalites policières contre une manifestation de
femmes, ce printemps, a Istanbul, ont choque. Comme l’oukase pris par
un sous-prefet de faire retirer des bibliothèques publiques de sa
juridiction les oeuvres du romancier Orhan Pamuk, coupable d’avoir
evoque le tabou des massacres d’Armeniens et de Kurdes de 1915. Des
universitaires, qui preparaient une conference sur la question du
“genocide armenien”, ont decide de la reporter a la suite de menaces
et de l’attaque d’un ministre (“Un coup de poignard”, a-t-il fulmine,
avant d’etre desavoue par le chef du gouvernement). “Tout cela est
regrettable, reconnaît Akif Gulle, vice-president du groupe des deputes
de l’AK Parti, la formation conservatrice musulmane au pouvoir. Mais ce
sont des accidents de la circulation. Aussi tristes qu’ils soient, ils
n’interrompent pas notre voyage sur la route des reformes.” La societe
civile manifeste un dynamisme qui contraste avec l’apathie des societes
balkaniques. A chaque incident, medias et organisations protestent et
obtiennent gain de cause. Le sous-prefet a fait l’objet d’une enquete
interne; des policiers ont ete suspendus; les universitaires ont
deja fixe une nouvelle date pour leur colloque. Reste que le Premier
ministre, le reformiste Recep Tayyip Erdogan, lui-meme, n’echappe pas
aux mauvaises manières. Il a poursuivi en justice et fait condamner
a une amende un caricaturiste coupable de l’avoir represente sous
les traits d’un chat empetre dans une pelote de laine… Y a-t-il un
chef de gouvernement en Europe qui oserait aujourd’hui poursuivre
un caricaturiste? La Turquie continue d’avoir un problème avec la
liberte de la presse. “Le nouveau Code penal maintient des peines
de prison pour les journalistes s’ils publient des insultes ou
des obscenites, denonce Ercan Ipekci, president du Syndicat des
journalistes turcs. Et des limitations de la liberte d’expression ont
ete introduites concernant la question armenienne ou le retrait des
soldats turcs de Chypre.” Qui plus est, un regime rigoureux de droit
au respect de la vie privee fait peser le risque d’une multiplication
des procès. “Dans le contexte d’une societe liberale, ces clauses
ne poseraient pas de problème, explique Deniz Vardar, professeur de
sciences politiques au departement francophone de l’universite de
Marmara. Dans un autre contexte, on est dans l’inconnu.”

Depuis 2002, ce pays a connu plus de reformes que dans les dix
annees precedentes. “Ce processus doit desormais continuer au rythme
des negociations sur l’adhesion”, soutient un diplomate europeen
conscient que tout ne peut pas etre fait tout de suite. Les services
de Bruxelles assurent, de leur côte, une part du travail legislatif
de conserve avec les deputes turcs. Avant l’echeance du 3 octobre,
le Parlement devra ainsi voter une loi complexe redigee avec les
experts bruxellois sur les fondations religieuses afin de donner plus
de droits aux minorites et ratifier l’extension du traite d’union
douanière a Chypre. “L’Europe doit continuer a aider les reformateurs,
conclut le diplomate. Il en va de notre interet.”

–Boundary_(ID_xJH2Wiftlnmhy1KFGIu8qg)–