Announcement

Collapse
No announcement yet.

EU to discuss framework for Turkish talk

Collapse
X
 
  • Filter
  • Time
  • Show
Clear All
new posts

  • EU to discuss framework for Turkish talk

    Financial Times, UK
    June 26 2005

    EU to discuss framework for Turkish talk


    By Daniel Dombey in Brussels and Vincent Boland in Ankara
    Published: June 26 2005 19:24 | Last updated: June 26 2005 19:24

    The last act in Turkey's decades-long quest to hold membership talks
    with the European Union will begin this week, when the European
    Commission sets out the proposed rules for the negotiations.


    Unless all 25 EU member states can agree on a version of the
    `negotiating framework' which sets out the principles, procedures,
    and issues for the planned talks the process will not begin on
    schedule on October 3.

    Olli Rehn, enlargement commissioner, has called on the EU to honour
    its commitment, as has Tony Blair, incoming president of the council
    of EU member states.

    At present, EU officials believe the negotiations will begin on time,
    but are still not certain. The key discussion between EU governments
    is likely to be in September, just when Germany is expected to hold
    elections that could be won by the Christian Democrats, who oppose
    Turkish membership.

    Turkey itself plays down any risk of delay, but also sounds a much
    more cautious note than last year about its chances of membership.
    `The negotiations will start on time because no European leader wants
    to risk a rupture of EU-Turkish relations right now,' said a Turkish
    official. `Whether in six or seven years, people decide in favour of
    some kind of privileged partnership rather than membership, that is a
    different issue.'

    Recep Tayyip Erdogan, prime minister, underlined Turkey's position at
    the weekend, saying it would not agree to any new conditions for EU
    membership.

    But in line with decisions endorsed by EU leaders, the Commission's
    proposed negotiating framework for Ankara, due to be presented on
    Wednesday, will be far tougher than the ground rules for the 10
    countries that joined last year.

    Turkey, like Croatia, the EU's other formal candidate for membership,
    must not just promise reforms but implement them during the
    negotiating process.

    Even so, France and the Netherlands, two countries where wariness
    about Turkish membership played a role in No votes on the EU
    constitution, want the EU to look at Turkey's record in recent
    reforms before even beginning the talks.

    Turkey pushed through a package of reforms this month, but Paris and
    the Hague want the EU to examine their implementation ahead of the
    Commission's October report on the country.

    Murat Yetkin, a columnist for Radikal newspaper, wrote on Friday that
    Ankara had to be prepared for more difficulties ahead in Turkey's
    relationship with the EU.

    He said the government needed to be ready to address difficult
    questions such as Armenian claims of genocide in 1915, recognition of
    the government of Cyprus, and the withdrawal of Turkish troops from
    the divided island.
Working...
X