OPPOSING OUR EU MEMBERSHIP
BY YILMAZ OZTUNA (TURKIYE)
President Ahmet Necdet Sezer yesterday received his
Romanian counterpart Ion Iliescu to discuss bilateral
relations. Speaking afterwards, Sezer said that both Turkey
and Romania would continue to play key roles in ensuring peace
and stability in their region, adding that they would also
play a part in integrating the region with the European Union.
Touching on the recent Istanbul terrorist bombings, Iliescu
called the attacks “barbaric.” He stated there was solidarity
between the two nations and that international cooperation
would be vital in eliminating terrorism. “Those who carry out
such barbaric attacks are enemies of democracy, secularism and
tolerance,” he said. Iliescu also stated that Romania
supported Turkey’s EU membership bid, adding that he hoped
Ankara would begin its negotiations with the EU next year.
Romania itself is scheduled to join the Union in 2007.
/Milliyet/
Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, who is currently in Brussels
to attend the NATO foreign ministers’ fall meetings, said
yesterday that Turkey had decided to contribute three Black
Hawk helicopters to the International Security and Assistance
Force (ISAF) in Afghanistan, adding that they would be used
for humanitarian aid, not military attacks. One diplomat at
the meetings said the copters would be crucial in helping to
fill a key gap in NATO’s mission in the country. /Cumhuriyet/
US Joint Chiefs of Staff Deputy Chairman Gen. Peter Pace,
who is currently in Ankara for an official visit, yesterday
met with Defense Minister Vecdi Gonul. During their talks,
Gonul and Pace reached a broad consensus on cooperation to
fight terrorist groups and how best to wage this effort.
Speaking afterwards, Pace reiterated that PKK/KADEK was a
terrorist organization even it had changed its name, adding
that the US would continue to seek new ways to fight terrorist
groups. “We recognize that the PKK is one of Turkey’s most
pressing problems,” added the top general. For his part, Gonul
said that trade, diplomatic and military ties between Ankara
and Washington were very important. /Cumhuriyet/
Main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) leader
Deniz Baykal yesterday lashed out at European Union
Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen’s recent
statements on upcoming elections in the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC). Following a meeting with Hak-Is
Chairman Salim Uslu, Baykal told reporters that Verheugen’s
comments encouraging an opposition victory clearly constituted
interference in the Dec. 14 polls. “These statements were
improper,” said the CHP leader. Claiming that the Republic of
Turkey itself had never in its history been so wronged, Baykal
charged that the government was taking too weak a stance
toward these developments. “The government is only standing
and watching,” he added. /Hurriyet/
Parliament’s Constitutional Commission yesterday approved a
bill designed to make the National Security Council (NSC) more
transparent, a measure in line with political reforms for
Turkey’s European Union membership bid. The bill would remove
secrecy policies governing the NSC’s staff, by-laws and
regulations, allowing decisions on these matters to be
published in the government’s Official Gazette. /Turkiye/
In the runup to Dec. 14 elections in the Turkish Republic
of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), the European Parliament is urging
Turkey to find a settlement on the island. EP Foreign Affairs
Commission Chairman Elmar Brok warned yesterday, “If there’s
no solution to the Cyprus issue, Turkey cannot begin its EU
accession talks,” a decision on which is scheduled one year
from now. Meanwhile, Turkey’s rapporteur at the commission
stated that EP would be very firm towards Turkey regarding the
Cyprus issue. In related news, the US administration has also
reportedly asked Turkey to find a settlement on the island
before May 1 on the basis of United Nations Secretary-General
Kofi Annan’s Cyprus plan. “The elections should be fair and
whoever wins, talks should begin soon in line with Annan’s
plan,” said one US official. Greek Cyprus is due to join the
EU next May. /Hurriyet/
The street adjoining Istanbul’s Beth Israel Synagogue, the
site of a devastating terrorist attack last month, will be re-opened
to traffic on Saturday, December 13 with bolstered security
measures, announced Sisli district Mayor Mustafa Sarigul
yesterday. The improved security, especially during Saturday
Sabbath services, will be accompanied by new traffic
arrangements, he added. Istanbul Chief Rabbi Ishak (Yitzhak)
Haleva is due to attend the street’s reopening. /Star/
Parliament yesterday approved a bill proposing certain
reforms for Turkey’s petroleum market. If signed by the
president, the measure would revise the set distances between
gas stations in cities and on highways as of 2005. It would
also mandate that Turkey’s petroleum prices be established by
world free trade conditions. /Star/
The US welcomes Turkey’s economic development and
privatization efforts, said a board member of the US Export-Import
Bank on Tuesday, adding that Turkey had an important role to
play in Iraq’s reconstruction period. Speaking to Turkish-US
Economic Partnership Commission meetings in Washington, board
member April Foley stated that Eximbank especially supported
Turkey’s energy sector. “The Bush administration certainly
wants Turkey by our side as we support Iraqi reconstruction,”
said Foley, adding, “It understands Iraq as few other
countries do” Meanwhile, US Deputy Secretary of State Alan
Larson also called on Turkish businessmen to participate in
bidding processes set to begin soon as part of the Iraq’s
reconstruction. /Hurriyet, http://www.exim.gov /
Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna comments on circles for and against
Turkey’s European Union membership. A summary of his column is
as follows:
“In Turkey, there is a group of conservatives who are
supporters of the status quo and who weild certain authority.
They never miss an opportunity to say that Turkey’s European
Union membership would be a prelude to disaster. In addition,
there are certain scientists and scholars here who are
genuinely concerned that EU membership would ruin our system.
However, such feelings can guide the path of neither nations
nor peoples. In addition, certain risks voiced by these people
are real, but without risk, there can be no progress.
Now the supporters of the status quo are trying to start
arguments about the Cyprus issue, as they’re afraid it might
be solved. They know that a solution would bring us closer to
EU membership and that, conversely, failure to reach one would
dampen our hopes.
As for the Europeans, they aren’t so willing to share their
comforts with us Turks. However, their rulers know the value
of Turkey’s membership and even its indispensability in
certain respects. At least 51% of European countries think
this way. We will face problems if the remaining 49% were to
grow.
If we have such problems, we can forget about our EU
membership. However, we cannot ignore Europe’s norms, criteria,
principles, system and mentality.”
