European Jewish Press, Belgium
Jan 29 2007

European Jewish leader supports Turkey’s EU membership

By Yossi Lempkowicz

PARIS (EJP)— During a recent visit to the Turkish capital of Ankara
European Jewish Congress President Pierre Besnainou met with Turkish
Prime Minister Recept Tayyip Erdogan and foreign minister Abdullah
Gull.

Erdogan talked about the `harmonious relations based on shared
values’ between Turkey and its 20,000 member Jewish community.

Besnainou expressed his satisfaction over the progress made by Turkey
in its battle against racism and anti-Semitism in the country.

The European Jewish leader also expressed his support for Turkey’s EU
membership, saying that it is `in the interest of the EU itself’ and
that `Turkey is a country that can also positively contribute to the
stability of the region."

European Union leaders decided last December to halt membership
negotiations with Turkey in eight out of 35 policy areas due to
Ankara’s refusal to open its ports and airports to EU member Cyprus,
whose government Turkey doesn’t recognize.

Turkey said it will only open its ports and airports after steps are
taken to end the international isolation of Turkish Cypriots in the
northern part of the island.

EJP asked Besnainou about Turkey’s EU membership, a topic which
continues to be a source of division among EU leaders.

EJP: Why should Turkey join the EU ?

Pierre Besnainou: I think we must consider very favourably Turkey’s
entry into the EU. Of course within a process which has to be
implemented on both sides. I think that Turkey has every reason to be
within the EU not only for economic reasons but also for some
criterias defined within the EU.

EJP: Do you understand those who are fearing the entry of millions of
Muslims into the EU ?

Pierre Besnainou: Of course. If one declares that Europe is a
Christian entity, I have no problem with this. But it has to be
declared. In this case, Turkey, with a Muslim population, has no
reason to be a EU member.

But when one tells me that this is not the case, that the EU is not a
Christian entity, I can also accept it. The EU has been enlarged to
Bulgaria and Romania, two countries which we have supported, so I
don’t see why a Muslim country should not join. As long as one
doesn’t say that the EU is willing to exclude a country with a Muslim
population, I have no problem.

When I hear that an MEP from a new extreme-right group at the
European Parliament starts its first parliament session with
anti-Semitic comments, I can say that I was pleased to hear Jewish
leaders in Turkey praising the attitude of the Turkish authorities
towards anti-Semitism in the country. They are very sensitive on this
issue.

I think also that Turkey is a country which can bring and ensure
stability in the Middle East. This has been Turkey’s policy for many
years. The country’s attachment to the European Union doesn’t appear
for me as being absurd.

EJP: What about the Armenian issue ?

Pierre Besnainou: During our meeting, Prime Minister Erdogan
confirmed his intention to open official Turkish archives to
historians so that full light would be set on the painful historical
dispute between Turks and Armenians.

We believe that Turkey’s opening all its archives to historians and
scholars will help illuminate this matter.