EU enlargement: Turkey must do more to

Mavi Boncuk |
EU enlargement: Turkey must do more to protect basic freedoms
[DICO] Commission: Subcommittee on Human Rights
Press release 20101027IPR90474

The outcome of Turkey's constitutional reform referendum was a step towards EU accession,but Turkey must do more, both to protect press and religious freedoms and to resolve the northern Cyprus issue, Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Füle told a joint meeting of MEPs and Turkish MPs on Tuesday. This echoed concerns, voiced at a Human Rights Committee hearing on Monday, about lack of press freedom, the imprisonment of conscientious objectors, and the treatment of Turkey's Kurdish minority.

EU accession is supported by all circles of Turkish society, Turkey's EU Affairs Ministerand chief negotiator Egemen Bağiş, told the 65th EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee meeting in Brussels on Tuesday.

New chapters

The recent constitutional reform referendum constituted "a turning point" in EU-Turkish relations,
said Mr Bağiş, adding that it was difficult to explain to the Turkish public why the EU was still "delaying the accession process", despite Turkey's efforts to comply with EU requests and recommendations. He hoped that Turkey could open the competition chapter of Turkey's EU accession negotiations before the end of 2010, and added that the fact that the energy chapter had not yet been opened demonstrated that the EU was not always
acting in its own interests.

Enlargement and Neighbourhood Policy Commissioner Štefan Füle welcomed the referendum result, but stressed that it was now up to Turkey to implement its provisions appropriately.

Fundamental rights

Mr Füle said the EU's 2010 progress report on Turkey would mention positive steps such as lifting restrictions on broadcasting in other languages than Turkish, furthering judicial reform, and improving fundamental rights, but it would also voice concern about Turkey's difficulties in guaranteeing freedom of expression, press, and religion.

Northern Cyprus
Ankara should apply the EU-Turkey association agreement's additional protocol in full to all EU Member States, including Cyprus, stressed Mr Füle, adding that resolving the Cyprus issue was a "credibility test" for both sides.

Andrew Duff (ALDE, UK) said the accession process had ground to a halt. He deplored the failure to open new chapters in the accession talks, and said the EU had "ceased to be a trustworthy partner" in this respect. Turkey should not "sacrifice" accession for the sake of Northern Cyprus, he added.

Turkey will never give up Northern Cyprus for the sake of the European Union, but it will not give up the European Union for Northern Cyprus either, Mr Bağiş replied.

Visas
Joint Parliamentary Committee Co-Chair Lüfti Elvan, reiterated that whilst businessmen from Brazil and South Korea could easily enter the EU, those from Turkey still needed to queue for visas. Commissioner Füle replied that a readmission agreement, effective border control and co-operation on visa policy was needed to promote people-to-people contacts.

Public opinion
Europe's stance on Turkey is not just about political leadership but also about public opinion, pointed out Georgios Koumoutsakos (EPP, EL). Mr Bağiş rejected claims by Barry Madlener (NI, NL), that he had accused him of being "racist", saying he had noted only that "racism had struck Europe". Sophia in't Veld (ALDE, NL) said she was a strong supporter of Turkey's membership but also a supporter of the freedom of speech, the freedom of religion, civilisation and self-discipline. In the chair (Tuesday): Hélène Flautre (ALDE, FR)

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