INTERVIEW WITH DIDIER BILLION, EXPERT ON TURKISH AFFAIRS

EuroNews
April 8 2010
France

Euronews: "Didier Billion, you are a researcher at the Institute of
International and Strategic Relations (IRIS) in Paris, specialising
in the Middle East and particularly Turkey.

"This is the first time that a Turkish prime minister has made an
official visit to France since EU accession talks began. Can this
visit help the accession process move forward or will Nicolas Sarkozy
stick to his current position?"

Didier Billion: "I really think that unfortunately Nicolas Sarkozy
will not budge from his position on this issue, just like all the
other issues. On many occasions he has expressed his opposition to
Turkish integration into the EU, and we understand well enough that
for him it’s a question of domestic politics. And I don’t see how,
today, the Turkish prime minister’s visit to Paris can convince him
that his position is wrong."

Euronews: "But do you think they will have touched on this subject
during their talks?"

Didier Billion: "Of course. I think that since arriving in Paris last
night, the Turkish prime minister has been saying that Nicolas Sarkozy
is welcome to come to Turkey to see first hand how Turkish society has
developed. It’s a thinly veiled criticism of Sarkozy for not having
taken the time to go to Turkey on an official visit. And that is a
quite obvious nudge on the part of the Turkish prime minister. So
if this meeting is useful in that sense, then that would be a very
good thing."

Euronews: "Turkish EU membership, toughening the stance on Iran,
Armenia…There seems to be only disagreement between the two
countries.

Are there issues on which they agree?"

Didier Billion: "On Armenia, let’s make clear that Nicolas Sarkozy
warmly congratulated the Armenians and the Turks when they signed
the protocol agreement together last October. Unfortunately, these
protocol agreements on better ties between the two countries have
not been ratified, either by the Armenian or Turkish parliaments. So
there, we’re falling behind schedule unfortunately. But there is at
least an official sharing of views.

"On the other issues, the plan for a Mediterranean Union- if you’ll
forgive me the expression- is failing to take off. Since what happened
in Gaza it has struggled to get going and become a reality.

"On Syria, we know that both Turkey and France have played an important
role in getting Syria back into the international fold. But there
unfortunately, it’s more a case of competition between Turkey and
France rather than a case of working together to improve ties with
Syria. So, in effect, it is difficult to find an issue on which
Turkey and France can move forward on an equal footing and in such
a way that they complement each other."