EURO MP NOTES CONCERN
Hurriyet
Nov 26 2008
Turkey
ANKARA – The head of the Turkish-European Union Joint Parliamentary
Committee, Joost Lagendijk, has met with opposition leaders in
Parliament and notes the commision’s concern over the closure case
filed against the pro-Kurdish DTP. MHP leader Devlet Bahceli complains
to Lagendijk the EU never speaks of the positive steps taken by Turkey
Concerns have been raised by the head of a joint Turkish-European
committee over the closure case recently opened against the country’s
pro-Kurdish Democratic Society Party, or DTP, and the government’s
policy regarding the Kurdish issue.
The head of the Turkish-European Union Joint Parliamentary Committee,
Joost Lagendijk yesterday met with the leader of the DTP, Ahmet Turk,
in Parliament. Turk claimed if the party was closed by the court,
his party would vacate its seats in Parliament. Lagendijk told him the
committee were following the developments with concern, the Hurriyet
Daily News learned.
DTP closure case A public prosecutor launched proceedings several
months ago to shut down the DTP on claims the party has become a
center of activities aimed at damaging the independence of the state
and the indivisible integrity of its territory.
"If our party is closed down the bridge will collapse. In that case, we
are seriously considering abandoning Parliament," Turk told Lagendijk.
During the meeting, Turk argued that the government’s approach toward
the Kurdish problem was "nationalist" and "chauvinistic," saying that
the "love it or leave it" rhetoric of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip
Erdogan further escalated the tension. For his part, Lagendijk said,
"We are following this process with concern. We’ll talk with him."
Lagendijk said they had the same sensitivity over the closure case
filed against the DTP as the recent one against the ruling Justice
and Development Party, or AKP, adding he would share his views during
a meeting with the prime minister and president. He also extended
support to the strengthening of local administrations pointed out in
the political document of the DTP.
Lagendijk later met with the leader of the Nationalist Movement
Party, or MHP, Devlet Bahceli, who complained the EU never spoke
of the positive steps taken by Turkey. Lagendijk answered the EU
considered the amendment to Article 301 of the Turkish penal code
as well as the government’s opening to Armenia as positive steps,
something which was not agreed to by the MHP, learned the Daily News.
Meanwhile, an official from Turkey’s EU-Secretariat General told
business daily Referans that no policy areas or chapters were left,
in response to a warning from an EU official that no chapters would
be opened with Ankara in 2009 if the reforms stalled.
EU performance "Turkey is not satisfied with the EU’s performance. We
are working on meeting the opening benchmarks in the areas of taxation,
social policy, competition and environment. We have an action plan
for each and every opening and closing criteria. But the number of
chapters that can be opened to negotiations has drastically dropped
due to political hurdles," said the official, who declined to be named.
Brussels suspended eight out of 35 chapters due to Turkey’s refusal
to open its sea and air ports to Greek Cyprus. France opposes the
opening of five chapters on the assumption they would guarantee
eventual membership.
The other obstacle, according to the same official, is that the EU has
not yet sent to Turkey the screening reports of 10 chapters that need
to be opened to talks. Officials expect the start of talks in the areas
of free movement of capital and information society and media, pinning
their hopes on the next president of the EU, the Czech Republic.