Europe Information Service
European Report
April 8, 2005
EU/TURKEY: ANKARA URGED TO IMPLICITLY RECOGNISE THE REPUBLIC OF
CYPRUS
Speaking at a two-day conference (April 6 and 7) in Istanbul on
Turkey’s accession to the EU, Dutch Green MEP Joost Langendijk, who
co-chairs the EU/Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, urged Turkish
leaders to sign the additional protocol to the EU/Turkey customs
union agreement before October 3, the scheduled start-date for
accession talks between Turkey and the EU. “Prove to the European
Union and to Greek Cypriots that you are not obstinate. Surprise
them”, said the Dutch MEP, who supports Turkey’s entry into the
Union. He believes Ankara’s signing the protocol would signify its
recognition of Cyprus. Regarding the controversial issue of the
massacre of Armenians, the MEP believes the Turkish government should
itself take steps to clarify this highly sensitive issue for public
opinion.
On the issue of the extension of the EU/Turkey customs union
agreement to the ten new member states, Joost Langendijk explained to
Turkish officials that “beginning to deal with the representatives of
a country signifies beginning to recognise that country”. A clear
allusion to Cyprus, which Turkey refuses to recognise whilst being
the only country in the world to recognise the Turkish northern part
of the island. Its leaders’ position is that the government will
honour its commitments, including the signing of the additional
protocol with a view to extending the customs union to the ten new
member states. Turkey’s Foreign Minister, Abdullah Gul, has always
maintained that since the EU has signed a customs union with Turkey,
that union should be valid for all new member states, including the
Greek part of Cyprus. The minister has, however, indicated that
whilst his government will comply with international law, Turkey’s
signing of the additional protocol does not signify recognition of
the Greek part of Cyprus. He insists a durable solution to the
Cypriot question must be found under the aegis of the United Nations.
—
The additional protocol to the agreement of 1963 with Ankara is a
revised version of the existing customs union agreement between
Turkey and the EU taking account of the block accession of ten new
member states in May 2004, including Cyprus. EU leaders agreed at
their summit in December 2004 to open accession negotiations with
Turkey on October 3, 2005, after Turkey pledged to sign the customs
union agreement with Cyprus, a gesture interpreted as direct
recognition of the Greek-Cypriot government.
—
Armenian genocide.
Regarding the burning issue of the Armenian genocide and minorities,
Mr Langendijk suggested to the press on April 6 that Turkey must not
neglect Armenian and Kurdish demands. He identified the Turkish
Government’s proposal to set up a committee to look into recognition
of the Armenian genocide as a positive step. He nevertheless added
that the order by the Governor of Isparta to confiscate books by
writer Orhan Pamuk, owing to his comments on the Armenian genocide,
has “completely altered the perception of Turkey” among Europeans.
Several EU member states have singled out the Armenian question as
one of those which Turkey will have to resolve before the launch of
accession negotiations on October 3, 2005. Turkish leaders reject
this European pressure to acknowledge the genocidal nature of
massacres of Armenians during the First World War. Turkish President
Ahmet Necdet Sezer repeated as much on April 7 at a press conference
at a military academy in Istanbul. The Turkish President believes
such demands have “irritated an injured the Turkish nation”. The
issue must be debated on a scientific and not a political basis, the
Turkish President concluded.
Polls in Turkey.
According to a poll published on April 7 by Turkish daily Milliyet,
public support for Turkey’s accession to the European Union is
falling. Only 63.5% of Turks now claim to support their country’s
entry into the Union. The No camp has meanwhile seen support rise to
almost 30%. Turks feel the conditions for accession are too
draconian, notably regarding the Cypriot question, Kurds and
acknowledgement of the Armenian genocide. More than 80% of Turks feel
Turkey should withdraw its candidacy if the EU sets acknowledgement
of the Armenian genocide as a condition for entry.