COMMUNIQUE – OPPOSING TO THE RETREAT ON EU STANDARDS FOR TURKEY’S MEMBERSHIP
Written by European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy
Newropeans Magazine
Thursday, 13 September 2007
France
The European Armenian Federation for Justice and Democracy (EAFJD)
is mobilizing Armenians from throughout Europe to seek to reverse
a series of serious shortcomings in a draft resolution on Turkey,
prepared by Mrs. Oomen-Ruijten (Conservative, Netherlands), for the
consideration of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
The Committee is set to examine the Oomen-Ruijten resolution today on
Thursday 13 September (see draft here above). Her measure congratulates
Turkey for its past progress and outlines a number of areas in which
it has not met European standards. The European Armenian Federation,
having reviewed the resolution, has found that it represents a
retreat from the 2006 Eurlings report and, in light of it unbalanced
presentation of the facts, a clear step back from the more principled
positions adopted in reports adopted by the Parliament since 2000.
"We are working with all the democratic forces in the European
Parliament to ensure that this resolution will accurately identify
Turkey’s failure to meet its own commitments to the European family
of nations," said Hilda Tchoboian, the Chairperson of the European
Armenian Federation.
"It is, quite simply, unacceptable for the European Parliament
to allow the authors of this flawed measure to seek to minimize,
cover-up, or even entirely exclude from their report such vital and
pressing issues as the Armenian Genocide, Kurdish rights, and the
occupation of Cyprus," added Tchoboian. "As this matter is taken
up in Committee, we call upon our constituent members, friends,
and allies across Europe to continue educating their Members of the
European Parliament, and other European leaders, about the dangers
of passing such an unbalanced resolution."
The European Armenian Federation is calling upon the leaders of
Armenian groups across the continent to coordinate with it the
mobilization of the Armenian community.
Brussel (Belgium) – 12/09/2007
PRESS COMMUNIQUE – EUROPEAN ARMENIAN FEDERATION
——
Draft European Parliament resolution on EU-Turkey relations
The European Parliament, – having regard to its resolution of 15
December 2004 on the 2004 regular report and the recommendation of
the Commission on Turkey’s progress towards accession1, – having
regard to its resolution of 28 September 2005 on the opening of
negotiations with Turkey2, – having regard to its resolution of 27
September 2006 on Turkey’s progress towards accession3, – having
regard to its resolutions on the Commission’s enlargement strategy
papers4, – having regard to the Negotiating Framework for Turkey of
3 October 2005, – having regard to Council Decision 2006/35/EC of 23
January 2006 on the principles, priorities and conditions contained
in the Accession Partnership with Turkey5, – having regard to the
Turkey 2006 Progress Report of the Commission (SEC(2006)1390), –
having regard to the Commission Communication on the Enlargement
strategy and Main Challenges 2006-2007 (COM(2006) 649), – having
regard to Rule 103 (2) of its Rules of Procedure,
A. whereas negotiations with Turkey were opened on 3 October 2005
after approval by the Council of the Negotiating Framework, and
whereas the opening of these negotiations is the starting point for
a long-lasting and open-ended process,
B. whereas Turkey has committed itself to reforms, good neighbourly
relations and progressive alignment with the EU,
C. whereas full compliance with all the Copenhagen criteria remains
the basis for accession to the EU,
D. whereas Turkey has not yet fully implemented the provisions stemming
from the Association Agreement and its Additional Protocol,
E. whereas after an impressive wave of reforms introduced between
2002 and 2004, the pace of reforms in Turkey has slowed down,
F. whereas a programme for further reforms will have to be presented
by the new Government after early parliamentary elections were held
on 22 July,
1. Calls on the Commission to identify in its regular report
those subjects which have to be addressed by Turkey as a matter of
priority, focusing on the achievement of the short-term and medium-term
priorities set out in the Accession Partnership, and to pay particular
attention to the subjects pointed out in this resolution; expects
the Commission to fully utilise all appropriate means to efficiently
support the reform process, reminding Turkey that the respect of its
commitments within the timetable set by the Accession Partnership is
of paramount importance for its credibility;
2. Congratulates Turkey for having held free and fair elections, as
indicated by the Election Assessment Mission deployed by the OSCE/ODIHR
and a delegation of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe
(PACE); welcomes that the elections led to a better representativity of
the Turkish Grand National Assembly, and encourages the newly elected
deputies to engage themselves for the transformation of Turkey into
a stable democracy;
3. Expects the new Turkish Government, which benefits from a strong
mandate and popular trust, to accelerate the process of reforms in
order to fulfil the commitments defined in the Accession Partnership;
encourages the government to search for a broad consensus within the
Turkish parliament on important institutional matters; recalls that
the development of Turkey into a democratic and prosperous state
governed by the rule of law is of strategic importance for Turkey,
its society and the EU;
4. Welcomes the positive economic development of Turkey in recent
years, considers it however vital to increase employment and to
develop a reform strategy which will reinforce the social cohesion
of the Turkish society;
5. Welcomes the efforts made by the Turkish government to align
itself with the EU energy acquis; advocates further strengthening of
energy cooperation between the EU and Turkey, aimed at reinforcing
the energy supply security, supporting the use of renewable energy
resources and the investments in energy efficiency;
6. Notes that Turkey’s role in transportation and logistics will become
more important in the coming years; calls on the Commission to issue
a specific report on the latest developments and future challenges;
7. Is concerned about the repeated interference of the Turkish Armed
Forces in the political process; stresses that further efforts
are needed to ensure full civilian control over the military;
underlines that the formulation of the national security strategy and
its implementation should be supervised by the civilian authorities;
calls for the establishment of full parliamentary oversight of military
and defence policy and all related expenditure;
8. Welcomes the EU-Turkey Civil Society Dialogue, and asks the
Commission to report on of increased contacts between the civil
societies in Turkey and the EU; calls on the Commission to be more
present in different regions of Turkey and to provide targeted support
to the civil society; calls on the new Turkish government to involve
its civil society, an important promoter of democracy in Turkey,
more intensively into the reform process;
9. Refers to its resolution of 2006 on Turkey, in particular
those paragraphs on the reforms needed to improve the
functioning of judiciary, respect for fundamental human rights
and freedoms, protection of women rights, implementation of the
zero-tolerance-to-torture policy as well as protection of minority
and cultural rights; awaits, before assessing the progress in
implementing such reforms, the results of the intensified monitoring
of the political criteria announced by the Commission in its last
enlargement strategy; calls on the Commission to publish these results
without delay;
10. Urges the new Turkish government to fully implement the provisions
stemming from the Association agreement and its Additional Protocol;
recalls that the non-fulfilment of Turkey’s commitments referred to
in the Accession Partnership will continue to affect seriously the
process of negotiations;
11. Deplores that a number of persons is still being prosecuted under
Article 301 of the Penal Code, and urges the government to use its
parliamentary majority to make sure that provisions allowing for
arbitrary restrictions on the expression of non-violent opinions
are removed and that freedom of expression and freedom of press
are guaranteed;
12. Stresses the need to adopt a Law on Foundations without delay
that addresses the current legal uncertainty of religious minorities
and sets a clear legal framework enabling them to exercise their
religion freely by allowing them, inter alia, to own property and
train clergy; shares the concern expressed by the Council on 24
July over the recent ruling of the Turkish Court of Cassation on the
Ecumenical Patriarchate; urges the new Turkish government to bring
its approach towards religious minorities in line with principles of
freedom of religion; calls on the Commission to raise these issues
with the new government;
13. Strongly condemns the murder of Hrant Dink, the murder of three
Christians in Malatya, the terrorist attack in Ankara, and all other
acts of politically motivated violence; expects the Turkish authorities
to bring full light into these cases and to bring all responsible to
justice; underlines the urgent need to efficiently combat all types of
extremism and violence and to ban them from all levels of public life
in Turkey; calls on the Turkish government to increase the protection
of those groups, minorities or individuals who feel exposed to threat;
14. Calls on the new government to take concrete measures to ensure
that full trade union rights are respected in line with European
and ILO standards; encourages it to support intensification of the
social dialogue between employers associations and trade unions;
asks the Commission to address this subject with the new government;
15. Notes that a considerable number of women in Turkey hold strong
positions in the economy and in the academic world, and that more
women have been elected in parliament; underlines that accessibility
of education for and economic empowerment of women are keys to further
economic growth and prosperity of Turkey;
16. Points out to the need of a comprehensive strategy for the
social-economic development of the South East of Turkey; calls on
the Commission to indicate in which way the Pre- Accession Instrument
can be used to support efforts that will have to be made by the new
Turkish government to develop the South East, and to coordinate this
assistance with other international financial institutions;
17. Strongly condemns the violence perpetrated by the PKK and other
terrorist groups on Turkish soil; expresses its solidarity with Turkey
in its fight against terrorism; urges Turkey however to refrain from
any unilateral steps violating Iraq’s territory;
18. Attaches great importance to Turkey’s commitment to good
neighbourly relations in line with the requirements set out in the
Negotiating Framework; reiterates its expectation that Turkey refrains
from any economic blockade, border closure, threats or tension-prone
military activities against neighbouring countries; reiterates its
call upon the Turkish and the Armenian Government to start a process
of reconciliation;
19. Regrets that no substantial progress in finding a comprehensive
settlement of the Cyprus question has been made; reiterates its call
on both parties to adopt a constructive attitude for a comprehensive
settlement within the UN framework, based on the principles upon
which the EU is founded;
20. Welcomes the establishment of an instrument of financial support to
encourage the economic development of the Turkish Cypriot community;
calls on the Commission to report specifically on the effectiveness
of this instrument;
21. Stresses the importance of Turkey’s role in the Black Sea region
and of its close relations with the Central Asian region; calls
upon the Commission to strengthen its cooperation with the Turkish
government concerning the EU’s policy towards these regions;
22. Reminds the Commission of its request to deliver a follow-up to the
impact study presented in 2004 and asks to be provided with it in 2007;
23. Instructs its President to forward this resolution to the Council,
the Commission, the Government and the Parliament of Turkey.