Turkey?s Growing Pain towards EU Accession Print

 

Wednesday , 06 September 2006

Emre Ozkan, JTW ? Ankara / The Committee on Foreign Affairs of the European Parliament (EP) approved Turkey Report late on September 4th, which was prepared by Christian Democrat MEP Camiel Eurlings. EP, in the report, repeated its call for recognition of so-called Armenian genocide prior to EU full membership of Turkey. Different from previous reports, the report claimed that Turkey committed genocide against Pontus Greeks and Assyrians besides Armenians.

The report also complains that the pace of the reforms slowed in 2005 and the implementation of reforms still remains uneven, underlining that significant further efforts are required in regard to fundamental freedoms and human rights, in particular freedom of expression, women’s rights, religious freedoms, trade union rights and cultural rights, and the further strengthening of the fight against torture and ill-treatment.

According to Hurriyet, Eurlings said that the report is positive and urged Turkey to take steps on the path to democratization.

Eurlings said that he welcomed the report in general. Noting that the report strongly condemned PKK terrorism, Eurlings said that PKK terrorism couldn?t be considered legitimate, adding that the report shows that they will never tolerate terrorism.

On the other hand, the report of the EP which requires Turkey to recognize the so-called Armenian genocide as well as Pontus and Syrian genocides was even reacted by European Union circles: ?Let’s not offend Turkey. We are being ridiculous. This report has no balance.?

The Turkish Foreign Ministry on Tuesday said it strongly rejected the EP report compiled by the Dutch legislator Camiel Eurlings, saying that it was incompatible with the prestige and gravity of the EP.

Moreover, Turkey?s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has dismissed elements of the report adopted on Turkey?s progress towards meeting the criteria of European Union membership. ?The resolutions adopted by the European Parliament are not binding,? Erdogan said during a press conference in Ankara. ?We have not accepted anything about the so-called Armenian genocide. Our stance on that issue is obvious.?

Foreign Ministry spokesman Namik Tan said that the controversial report would not contribute to the improvement of ties between Turkey and the European Union. ?The report lacks commonsense and objectivity.?

Spokesman Tan added that the European lawmakers should act with consideration and amend the draft report.

Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that the European Parliament was dreaming if it felt that Turkey would change its position on issues such as accepting claims that the Ottoman Empire had carried out an act of genocide against its Armenian population during World War I.

Assos. Prof. Dr. Mehmet Ozcan, Head of European Studies Center of Ankara based think-tank International Strategic Research Organization (ISRO), argued that the report is asking for impossible things from Turkey. ?Turkey cannot bring stones from the Moon?, he stated. He also mentions that how Belgium explains her acts in Congo or France in Algeria? ?If you are going to hold Turkey accountable for acts in its past, then how will you explain your own past of genocide respectively in Congo and Algeria and violence in the World War II?, he added. He emphasized that the report will be amended in the coming meetings.

Stating that he is not happy with the report of Eurlings, Mixed Parliament Commission Co-chairman Joost Lagendijk also said: “Instead of encouraging Turkey’s membership, Eurlings has put more provisions. Turkey will think that the EP will keep demanding new provisions every year. The report confused me, it does not have a balance.”

The controversial report asks Turkey for recognizing so-called Armenian genocide as well as Assyrian and Pontus genocides. With this report, so-called Pontus and Assyrian genocides have entered in an official EU report for the first time.

The report raises questions on Turkish public opinion about the objectivity of the EP and EU officials. The report will be voted in the general session of the EP in Strasbourg, which will take place between September 25th and 28th.

JTW, 6 September 2006

EP Draft Report on Turkey?s Progres