EU / TURKEY: Turks unhappy with EU decision to seek partial freeze in accession talks as Blair and Merkel urge EU and Ankara to remain positive and constructive

The European Commission recommended a partial suspension of EU accession talks with Turkey on Wednesday (November 29), dealing a blow to Ankara's hope of joining the European Union after it refused to open its ports to Cyprus. Both British Prime Minister Tony Blair and German Chancellor Angela Merkel responded with concern. The EU executive said this covered talks on eight of the 35 policy areas or "chapters" into which the entry talks are divided and it was recommending no chapter be closed until the Cyprus issue was resolved. Turkish television channels quoted Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan as saying the recommendation was "unacceptable." Turkish citizens reacted with disappointment to reports that the European Commission had decided on Wednesday (November 29) to recommend a partial suspension of Turkey's negotiations to join the European Union after it failed to open its ports to EU member Cyprus. Professor of International Relations, Huseyin Bagci told Reuters, "I think that it's very bad news for Turkey and at the same time not good for European Union in general. It's a historic mistake by EU and for Turkey the first time the victim of wrong policy by EU because of Cyprus, because of criteria on which has tried to impose on Turkey." EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said the negotiations would continue, but at a slower pace. "We recommend that no chapter be closed until Turkey has fulfilled its commitments," EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn said at a Commission briefing. "The European Union is a community of law. Failure to meet legal obligations cannot remain without consequences," he added. He also said no chapters would be "provisionally closed" until Turkey fully implemented commitments to open its ports to traffic with Cyprus. The policy sectors to be frozen involve the free movement of goods, capital and services, as well as customs, trade, transport, agriculture and fisheries, the sources said. Many EU governments are worried about the prospect of the predominantly Muslim and comparatively poor country joining the Union. The French and German leaders welcomed the decision but Britain's Tony Blair said the EU should not send a negative signal to Turkey as this could be a 'serious matter for Europe long-term.' "We have got to make sure that we allow Turkey's accession to proceed. That will mean compromises all around in order to get this happening but just at the moment to send an adverse signal to Turkey would be a serious mistake to Europe long-term" said British Prime Minister Tony Blair on the sidelines of a NATO summit in Latvia. German Chancellor Angela Merkel hopes Ankara will see the proposal as a positive, rather than a negative move. "I believe that the Commission proposal is a strong signal that the Ankara protocol has to be accepted by Turkey. What was discussed here on the sidelines amongst the EU member states was that we wish for a stronger verification clause. This means the Council can review Turkey's progress in a manageable timeframe, perhaps 18 months. However, I believe it is a strong signal that there are chapters which cannot be opened while at the same time there are no chapters which are being closed. It is apparent that we want the Ankara protocol to be implemented," Merkel said. The Commission would recommend that negotiations proceed on the other chapters. So far, Turkey has provisionally concluded talks on just one chapter -- science and research. Cyprus is blocking the opening of any more sectoral negotiations. But the Commission avoided any call for a total suspension and set no new deadline for Turkey to comply on Cyprus, the sources said, averting Ankara's worst fears. Rehn added that the European Commission has not set Turkey any deadlines for complying with commitments in its negotiations to join the European Union following its earlier experience on the Cyprus matter. The decision was brought forward by one week from Dec. 6 in an effort to avoid leaks. Turkey has said it will only open its ports to shipping from Cyprus if the EU fulfils a pledge to end the economic isolation of Turkish Cypriot northern Cyprus, which the internationally recognised Greek Cypriot government in Nicosia has blocked. Turkey, which invaded Cyprus in 1974 in response to a Greek Cypriot coup backed by Greece's then ruling military junta, does not recognise the Nicosia government and backs the Turkish Cypriot mini-state, which it alone recognises. Turkey's setback comes just after it received an unexpected boost from Pope Benedict, who, on a visit to Ankara on Tuesday, told Erdogan: "We are not political but we wish for Turkey to join the EU," according to the Turkish leader. The Commission took its decision after the latest round of talks on the Cyprus stand-off failed on Monday. EU foreign ministers will formally decide whether to back the recommendation on Dec. 11.

ITN Source | November 29, 2006

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