AFTERMATH OF THE EUROPEAN COUNCIL MEETING: TURKEY – EU RELATIONS

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Dec 16 2008
Turkey

The European Council meeting was held on 11-12 December in
Brussels. Nicholas Sarkozy who is in preparation to pass the Council
Presidency on the Czech Republic in January, presided the meeting. The
European Council conclusions were critically important for both the
future of the European Union and the relations between the EU and
Turkey in forthcoming year.

The official document released by the External Relations Council on 8
December provides the latest remarks of the EU about the negotiation
process over the year just passed with the two candidate countries,
Turkey and Croatia. It draws the general framework of the enlargement
strategy and reiterates its commitment to the basic values of the
Union which are accompanying the enlargement process.

With respect to the Turkey, the Council welcomes the government’s
commitment to advance the necessary reforms. However, it also expresses
its disappointment about the limited progress in political reforms
during the previous year. It especially points out the slowing pace
of reforms in the fields of the judicial reform, anti-corruption
strategy, protection of citizen’s rights, zero tolerance of torture
and ill treatment, freedom of expression and religion in law and in
practice, property rights, protection of minorities, strengthening of
cultural rights, women’s rights, children’s rights, trade union rights
and the civilian supervision over the military. Besides, it promotes
the decision of the government to complete the South Eastern Anatolia
economic development plan. The Council stresses on the need for action
to improve the economic, social and cultural conditions in the region.

Furthermore, the Council welcomes the decision of the Constitutional
Court which forestalled a serious political crisis. However, it refers
to a necessary revision of the constitutional rules, especially the
ones about the functioning of political parties. The political parties
are invited to establish a political dialogue based on compromise to
resolve their differences.

One of the striking points that the Council stresses on is the
current relations between Turkey and the two EU countries Greece and
Cyprus. The Council, as in its previous declarations, expects Turkey
to normalize the relations with Cyprus, to fulfill its obligations
under the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement and abstain
from any kind of threat or action to harm the relations with its
neighbors. It reiterates its conclusions of 11 December 2006 and
awaits progress on the issues covered by the declaration of the
European Community and its member states of 21 September 2005.

The enlargement conclusions also consist of "welcomes" on the issues
related to the latest attempts of Turkey in its external relations. The
Council applauds Turkey’s constructive and compromising role in the
region which is based on delicate balances. It encourages the newly
emerging diplomatic dialogue between Turkey and Armenia. At this point,
Turkey’s strategic importance is once more emphasized.

To summarize the overall Presidency Conclusions, The Council, alike
the Commission, has a more critical stance towards Turkey’s current
position in the negotiation process. In the Commission’s Progress
Report on Turkey, the emphasis was much more on the limited progress in
the political reforms rather than the Cyprus issue. It can be said the
reactions from the Greek Cypriots worked out and the Cyprus problem was
put forward for the determination of the pace of the negotiations. 2009
will constitute one of the headstones in the Turkey-EU relations. A
comprehensive solution on the island and the intention to carry the
reforms forward will determine the future of the negotiations.