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President of the European Commission Avrupa Birliği Komisyonu Başkanı Since its creation exactly 80 years ago, the Turkish Grand National Assembly has been the centre of gravity of the political life in this country. Its contribution to the construction of a modern, secular country and to the development of democracy has been immense. Since the founding of the Republic, Turkey has endeavoured in determined fashion to build such a society, overcoming a number of obstacles along the way. Meeting the standards of the contemporary civilisation was the paramount objective assigned by the founder of modern Turkey, Mustapha Kemal Atatürk. It was his ambition that Turkey should become a modern democracy at peace with itself and with its neighbours. His vision was for Turkey to be fully part of the European family of nations. The huge support by the population for the democratic reforms reflects this attitude. From the revolutionary changes in the twenties to the most recent and groundbreaking political reforms, we can see that your assembly has always been at the frontline of progress. I am privileged to be the first Commission President to visit Turkey since Walter HALLESTEIN in 1963. Since then, the European Union has changed fundamentally from an economic community to a fully-fledged political Union. Turkey has also evolved substantially over these years. My visit reflects the fact that relations between the European Union and Turkey have never been so strong, and that important decisions for the future of Turkey's candidature are due to be taken later this year. As this is my first official visit to Turkey, I would like to recall Turkey's important role in contributing to the security and stability of Europe during the cold war. This recognition partly explains our strong interest in Turkey developing into a prosperous and stable democracy based on rule of law and values which we all share. Turkey is endowed with unique characteristics among European countries: the combination of a secular, democratic state with a prevalently Moslem population. I am convinced that Turkey can bring a unique contribution to peace and regional stability at the beginning of this new century. Turkey's repeated call to fellow Moslem countries to actively promote democracy and human rights constitutes a powerful message. The outbreak of the Iraqi war at Turkey's south eastern border understandably was a cause of considerable fear and anxiety amongst Turkish decision-makers and population. Last year, in this delicate situation, important decisions were taken in Turkey, including by the Grand National Assembly. Let me assure you that we are fully aware of the significance, for Turkey and for the region, of the stability and integrity of Iraq. Future of Europe Fifty years ago, far-sighted leaders in Europe embarked on a new course: they chose reconciliation rather than conflict, peace, based on interdependence, rather than war, the rule of law rather than the force of arms. They laid the foundations for a Union, which has brought stability, security and prosperity, the largest single market in the world and a common currency. With economic progress have come social solidarity and a strong guarantee of civil rights and liberties. These are outstanding achievements, given Europe's chequered history. We are also engaged in an unprecedented process to further develop our co-operation. Our goal is to create a European Union, which is able to respond to the expectations of its citizens and to play a full role in world affairs. I would have hoped to come to Turkey in the wake of a decision on a new constitution for the European Union. Unfortunately this is not yet the case, but we will continue to work to that goal, and I am confident that agreement will be achieved in due time. The EU's institutional architecture needs to be redesigned, so that our institutions can function more transparently and more effectively. In view of enlargement, these reforms are more important than ever. Turkey, through its participation in the work of the Convention on the future of Europe, has contributed its experience and creativity to this common task. These achievements however need to be consolidated and expanded to meet new challenges, especially in foreign and security policy, in the fight against crime and injustice, and in economic integration. At the EU level we must seek to act decisively and with one voice. That means establishing a sounder institutional framework for a genuine Common Foreign and Security Policy and, above all, the political will to act together. EU-Turkey relations I would like to share some thoughts about Turkey's European aspirations. I am well aware that there is an impressive degree of consensus in Turkey in favour of joining the European Union. In fact there seems to be close to unanimous support for the modernisation strategy. But there are concerns as to how Turkey is perceived within the EU. And it is true that EU-Turkey relations are increasingly a subject of public debate. Contrary to the situation in Turkey, the public opinion in the EU is not unanimous in favouring a Turkish membership. It is in my view important for the political leadership in the EU and in Turkey to recognise and manage this political reality. There are those who are concerned about the religious dimension. Others have raised issues such as the capacity of the Union to integrate a country of the size and with the demography of Turkey, the economic development of Turkey and Turkey's geographical situation. We need to reply to these concerns. The fact that Turkey belongs to Europe was recognised already in our Association Agreement of 1963. I know that the overwhelming majority of the Turkish people share the same values and objectives as other Europeans. They want to live in democracies based on the rule of law and the respect of human rights. Terrorist attacks in Turkey, as elsewhere, are intended to undermine such values. They will not succeed. Since Turkey was granted candidate status in Helsinki in December 1999, it has made impressive progress towards meeting the Copenhagen political criteria. Candidate status has helped Turkey to embark upon a process of far-reaching constitutional and legislative reforms. We have been impressed by the determination of the Turkish Government to carry forward these reforms. By publicly declaring that political reforms are first and foremost for the benefit of Turkey's own citizens, the current government led by Prime Minister ERDOGAN is following the footsteps of Turkey's march towards modernisation. A major constitutional reform and seven legislative packages have been adopted in a very short period of time. It is noteworthy that many of the reforms have been adopted unanimously, with bipartisan support from the majority and the opposition. In its successive reports, the European Commission has recognised the scope and significance of the reform process. These initiatives have addressed some of the most sensitive issues in the Turkish context, such as the abolition of the death penalty and the lifting of the ban on languages other than Turkish, which is a sign of the growing maturity of the Turkish democracy. The question of full democratic control of the military, including full parliamentary authority over the defence budget, is also being addressed. Turkey has ratified major UN Covenants on Civil and Political rights as well as on Social and economic rights. Prisoners sentenced for non-violent expression of opinion have been released. The legislation on fighting against torture has been considerably strengthened and incommunicado detention has been abolished. Looking back over the last couple of years, I can say that there has been a profound change in the climate of our bilateral relations. We have moved a long way in terms of how we approach and perceive each other. Whereas earlier we could not agree on Turkey's position with respect to the Copenhagen political criteria, we now very largely share a common assessment of the situation, including in the area of human rights. We have deepened our dialogue on the political criteria and are discussing issues in detail, openly and without taboos. In its November Report, the Commission highlighted those areas where more progress is needed such as the strengthening of the independence and efficiency of the judiciary, the overall framework for the exercise of fundamental freedoms, the full alignment of civil-military relations on EU standards as well as the improvement of the situation in the South East. We are pleased to hear that Turkey is committed to address its remaining shortcomings. I understand that your Assembly is currently dealing with very important draft legislation such as the penal code. The National Plan for the Adoption of the Acquis adopted by the government in July 2003 foresees a crowded agenda of legislative reforms in a wide range of areas related to the Acquis communautaire. While of course I applaud the remarkable achievement of the Turkish governments and parliament in your unprecedented reforms, it is also clear that the task of ensuring their systematic and effective implementation presents an even greater challenge. I would neither like to discuss here the remaining reforms needed nor to elaborate on details about their implementation. Both aspects are fully described in the Accession Partnership and in the November Report that I have mentioned above. What remains to be done is therefore clear to you and I can assure you that there will be no new conditions. What will matter is full and effective implementation. If the Turkish people are to enjoy the principles and values largely shared by European citizens, it is essential that the provisions and spirit of the legislative reforms should be respected throughout the country by different levels of government and public administration, the judiciary and security forces. October 2004 report and recommendation The Copenhagen European Council in December 2002 gave a clear political roadmap for Turkey. In October this year, my Commission will present its recommendation on whether Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria. This will be one of the most important decisions to be taken by the Commission. Let me assure you that our recommendation will be based on an objective assessment. We will use the same criteria and methodology that so successfully has been used for all the other candidate countries. Our track record in this context is excellent. No one has ever contested the objectivity in our assessment. There should be no doubts that our assessment of Turkey and our recommendation will maintain the same standard. Credit will be given where credit is due, but at the same time there will be no room for complacency. The European Council has made it clear that, if at the end of this year it decides that Turkey meets the Copenhagen political criteria, accession negotiations will be opened without delay. If the European Council decides to open negotiations with Turkey, I should remind you that accession is not a formality, and not for the immediate future. The negotiations will take time, reflecting the scale of the difficulties in many sectors faced by such a large and complex country. I should also recall that the task of adopting and implementing the acquis communautaire is enormous, and has important implications for the legislature of Member States. Community legislation takes precedence over national legislation. The European integration process, which incorporates a growing number of common policies, involves a loss of national autonomy for Member States. But the process of joint decision- and law-making, and the sharing of sovereignty that this implies, brings considerable benefits to Member States by participating in policy fields such as economic integration, foreign and security policy, justice and home affairs. Cyprus Let me now turn to Cyprus. Let there be no doubt that the European Union is aware of the significance that this island represents for Turkey and its people. Many in Turkey still remember bitter historical events causing suffering and grievance. The awareness of history allows us to move ahead. It was precisely the strength of the Franco-German reconciliation, which made fifty years of European integration possible. Why should the people of Cyprus not benefit from the same experience and pursue an irreversible process of reconciliation which would lead them to live a future of peace and prosperity? It is high time to end the outdated division of Cyprus and its capital city. The spontaneous, emotional and brotherly reunions of Turkish and Greek Cypriots after the opening of the divide between north and south have erased the myth that peaceful coexistence between the communities in Cyprus is not possible. Cyprus will join the EU on 1 May 2004. It would be a source of inspiration for us all if Turkish and Greek Cypriots were able to enter the EU together. We therefore call upon all parties to reengage in the UN led talks without delay. The objective should be to reach a settlement on the basis of the Annan plan in time for a united Cyprus to accede to the European Union on 1 May 2004. Let me assure you that we on our part are ready to assist in finding a speedy settlement. I am convinced that securing a comprehensive settlement by 1 May would be in the best interest not only of all Cypriots but for all of the Eastern Mediterranean. A settlement would also greatly facilitate Turkey's membership aspirations and will clearly influence decisions to be taken in the second half of this year. Let me be clear, this is not a formal condition, but a political reality. This Assembly and Your Government have since the last elections shown an impressive sense of recognition of Turkey's historic responsibilities. I am confident that the same degree of wisdom will guide you on this particularly sensitive issue. Conclusion Turkey now has a unique opportunity to achieve its goal, and to consolidate its position as a free and democratic society in the community of European nations. Let me stress that the European Union is, above all, a community of shared values based on the principles of liberty, democracy, human rights, fundamental freedoms and the rule of law. All these values are enshrined in the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the European Union. In November of last year, the Commission noted that Turkey has made further impressive efforts, which constitute significant progress towards achieving compliance with the Copenhagen political criteria. The European Council in Brussels on 12-13 December last has confirmed that this progress has brought Turkey closer to the Union. Turkey's prospects for moving even closer to the EU depend, above all, on its own capacity to fulfil the Copenhagen political criteria, not only in law, but also in practice. These criteria were not invented for Turkey, but apply equally to all candidates. For our report next October, as in previous years, the Commission will apply the same principles to Turkey as to all other candidate countries. There should be no doubts that the report will be fair and objective. We are moving closer to our goal, the goal of Turkey taking up its rightful place among the peoples of Europe, with shared principles, practices and ideals and a common future. HAKETTİĞİ YERE KAVUŞMAK 1963’ten beri Türkiye’yi ziyaret eden ilk Komisyon Başkanı olmaktan gurur duyuyorum. O tarihten beri Avrupa Birliği’nin yanı sıra, Türkiye’de de çok büyük değişiklikler yaşandı. Bu ilk ziyaret, AB ve Türkiye arasındaki ilişkilerin daha önce hiç olmadığı kadar güçlü olduğunun ve bu yıl Türkiye’nin adaylığı açısından önemli kararlar alınacağının bir işaretidir. Türkiye, Avrupa’da güvenliğe ve istikrara yaptığı katkılarla soğuk savaş döneminde önemli bir rol üstlenmiştir. Bu, Türkiye’nin hukukun üstünlüğüne ve ortak değerlere dayalı zengin ve istikrarlı bir demokrasi olmasıyla bu kadar yakından ilgilenmemizin nedenlerinden biridir. Türkiye, laik ve demokratik bir devlet ile ağırlıklı olarak Müslüman bir toplumu bir araya getirerek, Avrupa’da benzersiz bir özelliğe sahiptir. Bu yeni yüzyılın başında Türkiye’nin barışa ve bölgesel istikrara benzersiz katkıları olabileceğine inanıyorum. AB’nin kurumsal mimarisi, kurumlarımızın daha saydam ve etkin bir biçimde çalışmasını sağlayacak biçimde yeniden düzenlenmelidir. Genişleme açısından bu reformların önemi daha da artmaktadır. Türkiye, Avrupa’nın geleceği konusundaki Konvansiyon’a deneyimleriyle ve yaratıcılığıyla katkıda bulunmuştur. Türkiye’de AB’ye katılma lehine yaygın bir görüş birliği olduğunun farkındayım. Ancak Türkiye’nin AB’de nasıl algılandığı konusunda endişeler var. AB kamuoyu, Türkiye’nin üyeliği konusunda görüş birliğine sahip değil. Örneğin, dini boyut konusunda endişesi olanlar var. Ayrıca AB’nin Türkiye kadar büyük bir ülkeyi entegre etme kapasitesini ve Türkiye’nin coğrafi durumunu sorgulayanlar var. Bu endişeler yanıtlanmalıdır. Ayrıca AB, bu yıl sonunda Türkiye’nin Kopenhag siyasi kriterlerine uyduğuna karar verirse, üyelik müzakerelerine gecikme olmadan başlanacağını açıkça ifade etmiştir. Türkiye, Helsinki’de Aralık 1999’da aday statüsüne kavuştuğundan beri, Kopenhag kriterlerine uyum konusunda çok gelişme kaydetmiştir. Hükümetin bu reformları devam ettirme konusundaki kararlılığı etkileyicidir. Ancak bu reformların sistematik ve etkin bir biçimde uygulamaya geçirilmesi çok daha büyük bir görevdir. Türk halkı Avrupalı vatandaşlarla aynı prensipleri ve değerleri taşıyacaksa, yasal reformların hükümlerine ve ruhuna hükümetin, kamu idaresinin, yargının ve güvenlik kuvvetlerinin farklı düzeylerinde uyulması şarttır. |