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ANKARA: Olli Rehn: Our Relations With Ankara Are Schizophrenic

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  • ANKARA: Olli Rehn: Our Relations With Ankara Are Schizophrenic

    OLLI REHN: OUR RELATIONS WITH ANKARA ARE SCHIZOPHRENIC

    Hurriyet, Turkey
    Nov 1 2006

    Olli Rehn, the EU Commissioner for Expansion, has characterized EU
    relations with Ankara as "schizophrenic" in an interview with the
    French newspaper Liberation. While asserting that he was against
    the freezing of talks with Ankara, Rehn did underscore some of the
    difficulties in Turkey's quest for EU accession, pointing to issues
    such as freedom of expression and freedom of religion as being areas
    where reforms had to continue. Rehn did also stress the need for
    "fairness" towards Turkey from the EU, saying "The union must come
    through on its promises."

    He then went on to say: "Our relations with Turkey are schizophrenic.

    In the EU we downgrade strategic importance, while in Turkey, to the
    contrary, it is so upgraded in terms of importance that it is thought
    there that greater tolerance can be brought about on the subject of
    criteria for membership. But it won't be that way."

    Cyprus ports: The key autumn issue

    Rehn characterized the issue of opening up air and sea ports to
    Southern Cyprus as "the key issue of the fall" in his Liberation
    interview, applauding Finland for its efforts to find a solution.

    Rehn: Military in Turkey needs to be under clear control of civilian
    gov. Rehn also focused on the role of the military in Turkish civilian
    and political life, noting there while great steps had been taken in
    terms of the democratization of the role of the military's role, there
    was much more to be reformed. He said "I respect the authority of the
    Turkish military within the framework of the defense area, however
    the military must also clearly be under the authority and control
    of the civilian administration." When reminded in the interview that
    the military in Turkey was the guarantor of secularity and democracy,
    Rehn said "The EU does not want to abet the Islamicists in Turkey. I
    can guarantee you this." He then recalled that past efforts by the
    Turkish military to interfere in and prevent the spread of Islamic
    schools in Turkey had failed.

    In response to Liberation-posed question about the so-called Armenian
    genocide, Rehn noted that while recognition of the Armenian genocide
    was not a pre-condition for membership in the EU, that peace of one
    of the founding values of Europe.
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