Turkish Minister Ali Babacan To Attend J.P.C. Meeting

Journal of Turkish Weekly, Turkey
June 14 2005

STRASBOURG (AA) – Turkish State Minister Ali Babacan will attend and
deliver a speech at a meeting of Joint Parliamentary Commission (JPC)
scheduled to be held in Istanbul between June 13th and 14th.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan had assigned Babacan as
chief negotiator for Turkey’s entry talks with EU.

European wing members of the JPC met in Strasbourg today (Thursday)
and reviewed the preliminary studies for the Istanbul meeting.

EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Commission Co-chairman Joost Lagendijk,
taking the floor at the opening of the meeting, women’s rights in
Turkey, harmonization problem of Turkish citizens in Europe, recent
situation in Turkish-EU relations,and implementation of Customs Union
are among to topics to be discussed at Istanbul meeting.

At a meeting held in European Parliament (EP) today, Turkey’s Permanent
Representative to the EU Oguz Demiralp gave information to JPC members
about the preparations and replied to the questions.

European parliamentarians asked question about ban on the activities
of the Teacher’s Trade Union (Egitim-Sen), postponement of the
Armenian conference planned to be held in Bogazici University, and
the results of the referendums held in France and the Netherlands
for the EU Constitution.

Demiralp said ban on the activities of Egitim-Sen was the decision
of independent jurisdiction, stating that the government continued
its determination to improve cultural rights in the reform process.

Demiralp said the decision taken for the postponement of the
conference was not a decision of cancellation, and noted that the
Turkish government always supported clear discussion of what has
happened in the history.

Stating that results of the referendums were not welcomed in Turkey,
Demiralp said, “the European Commission and the European Council gave
open assurances to Turkey that the results would not negatively affect
the enlargement process.”

Asked about the signing of the agreement envisaging extension of the
Customs Union in a way to cover new countries, Demiralp said Turkey
would sign this agreement after the European Commission and Council
complete their domestic processes.