STRAW: “WE HAVE JUST MADE HISTORY”
EurActiv.com, Belgium
Oct 4 2005
In Short:
The formal opening of accession negotiations with Turkey was marked
by praise but also scepticism and accusations of backroom deals.
Background:
Turkey first applied for membership of the EU in 1963. In 1999, the
EU said yes, and the decision to open accession talks with Ankara on
3 October 2005 was reached at the December 2004 European Council.
Formal negotiations, which began on 3 October could take between 10 to
15 years, and the outcome is uncertain. During last-minute wrangling,
Austria had demanded that the EU offer a special partnership deal
rather than full membership to Ankara
During the lengthy negotiations ahead, the most controversial issues
in Turkey’s modern-day history are bound to come to the fore, including
the Cyprus conflict and the Armenian and Kurdish problems.
Meanwhile, thousands of Turks took to the streets of Ankara last
weekend protesting against their country’s projected accession to the
EU. The crowds assailed the government for creating and tolerating
“an environment of enmity from outside and an environment of treason
from within”.
Issues:
The prolonged dispute among the EU-25 foreign ministers revolved around
the clause in the EU-Turkey negotiating framework which defines the
objective of the negotiations.
Under the final agreement that was reached after more than a day of
straight debate, the text conserves the original wording that “The
shared objective of the negotiations is [Turkey’s] accession”. The
agreed text also adds that “”While having full regard to all [EU
political criteria], including the absorption capacity of the Union,
if Turkey is not in a position to assume in full all the obligations
of membership it must be ensured that Turkey is fully anchored in
the European structures through the strongest possible bond”.
Ankara was also concerned about the paragraph (No 5) in the draft
negotiating framework which insisted that Turkey “progressively align”
its policies in international organisations with that of the EU. This
paragraph was feared in Ankara to eventually allow Cyprus to join
NATO. However, the dispute on this point was finally settled after
Turkey received reassurance from lawyers as well as from US Secretary
of State Condoleezza Rice that NATO was not an issue in the EU talks.
Positions:
Opening the first – symbolic – meeting of the accession negotiation
process in the small hours of 4 October, British Foreign Minister
Jack Straw said that “We have just made history”.
“There’s a lot of speculation about the open-ended business,”
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said. “Every negotiation
is open-ended, but has goals. Full membership is the objective of
this one. The achievement of this goal will depend on our success”
in [carrying out the negotiations].
Turkey’s Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul said that the conclusion was a
“win-win” situation for all sides concerned, and stressed that Turkey
was “determined the carry on with the reforms”. He added that “Some
of the concerns which exist in European public opinion will, I think,
change in 10 years.”
Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn commented that the opening of
talks marked a “new era” in the EU’s ties with Turkey.
The speaker of Turkey’s parliament, Bulent Arinc, said that Turkey
would not “sacrifice everything”, including self-esteem, to become
a member of the EU.
“(For) the citizens of Europe … we have shown they cannot simply
be steam-rollered,” said Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel,
who added that he was “proud” of his country’s tough position.
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer said that “It’s a historic
step Europe has won; it’s a big chance for both sides”.
In Paris, Interior Minister Nicolas Sarkozy said that the French have
“serious reservations” and would prefer a partnership.
“Any (EU) state at any stage can interrupt the talks, for whatever
reason,” said French Foreign Minister Philippe Douste-Blazy. “The
result of these negotiations is absolutely not guaranteed,” he said.
“If it’s not accession, it’ll be another strong link.”
Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said that the negotiations
will be “long and difficult” and added that “accession, as for every
country, is neither guaranteed nor automatic”. “Europe must learn more
about Turkey. And Turkey must win the hearts and minds of European
citizens. They are the ones who at the end of the day will decide
about Turkey’s membership.”
“A Turkey anchored in Europe will be an even more reliable partner for
the trans-Atlantic family and a positive force for advancing peace,
prosperity and democracy,” the US State Department said.
MEP Graham Watson, leader of the Alliance of Liberals and Democrats
in the European Parliament welcomed the agreement, saying that
“The prospect before us now is not the accession of today’s Turkey
but that of tomorrow’s Turkey – of 2015 or 2020”. At the same time,
“However, the process leaves a smell of a back room deal”, Watson said,
referring to the simultaneous decision to open accession talks with
Croatia. “Three days ago, the [International Criminal Tribunal for
the former Yugoslavia] chief prosecutor stated her dissatisfaction
with Croatian compliance. What has suddenly changed?
A political trade-off on matters as serious as enlargement ill-befits a
Union desperately in need of restoring credibility with its citizens,”
he said.
Speaking to Belgian television, former Competition Commissioner Karel
Van Miert called the opening of negotiations with Turkey a “drama”
for Europe. Not only will it lead to years of political fighting
between current member states over Turkey but in the end, several
populations will in referenda reject the outcome of the negotiations
and thereby start a new crisis, he said. The EU should have won back
citizens trust in its project first, Van Miert added.
Portuguese Foreign Minister Diogo Freitas do Amaral said the deal
“probably will displease Mr [Osama] bin Laden”, referring to al
Qaeda’s campaign to stem Western influence and spread Islamic rule.
Latest & next steps:
-The symbolic launch of negotiations on 3 October signalled the start
of the Commission’s screening process aimed at taking stock of Turkey’s
progress in harmonising its laws with those of the Union.
– This process may take up to six months to complete.
– On 9 November, the Commission is scheduled to issue its next annual
progress report on Turkey.
– On 1 January 2006, Austria takes over the rotating Presidency of
the EU
– Mid-2006: the conclusion of the screening process will mark the
opening of negotiations on the individual “chapters”. The negotiating
framework specifies 35 chapters.
– The accession talks have been defined as an “open-ended process”
that may last from ten up to 15 years.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress