Turkey, EU discuss common foreign and security policy
The New Anatolian
Oct 7 2006
Saturday , 07 October 2006
Turkish and European officials on Friday discussed Ankara’s progress
in aligning its foreign and security policy with that of the European
Union, as part of the country’s accession talks with the 25-member
bloc.
The meeting in Brussels was the 31st of 35 major meetings of the
detailed screening process, which is expected to continue with
the opening of substantive talks on this chapter. Turkey has to
successfully conclude substantive talks on 35 chapters to be eligible
for membership, a process expected to last least 10 years.
Diplomatic sources told The New Anatolian on Friday that Turkey,
as a candidate country, has done a great deal of harmonization for
the EU’s common foreign and security policy.
Recalling Turkey’s contribution to the largest peacekeeping mission
ever undertaken by the EU, in Bosnia-Herzegovina , the same sources
stressed that Turkey had contributed 370 personnel to the EU Force
in Bosnia-Herzegovina (operation EUFOR-ALTHEA).
"Turkey’s combat group with Romania and Italy will have been
established by the end of 2009 and they will be ready for inclusion
in the EU’s forces," one source said.
Highlighting that Turkey has harmonized its foreign policy with the EU
on the Southern Caucasus, Middle East, Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan,
diplomatic sources also underlined that Turkey, like EU countries,
decided to send forces to the UN Interim Force in Lebanon (UNIFIL)
But despite parallel policies between Turkey and EU on major foreign
policy issues, there are also differences. Sources have highlighted
that the EU’s approach to a normalization of relations with Armenia,
allowing Greek Cypriot participation in EU-NATO strategic cooperation
and the Aegean problems with Greece are where the most differences are.
From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
