Prime Minister Jan Peter BALKENENDE wants the decision-making on Turkey's accession to the EU to be fair and to proceed according to the rules to which we are all committed.

The Prime Minister expressed these views in a speech to the European Parliament in Strasbourg outlining the priorities of the Dutch presidency of the EU. Those priorities, he added, will reflect the EU's 'commitment to the future'. Over the next six months the Netherlands aims to strengthen the 25-member Union, to foster sustainable economic growth and security, and contribute towards a solid financial basis for the coming years. It will also be working to make the EU a more effective and decisive actor on the world stage.

Turkey In December the European Council will have to assess whether Turkey meets the standards of human rights, democracy and market economy agreed at the Copenhagen European Council. This is the basis on which it will decide whether negotiations on Turkey's accession can begin.

BALKENENDE said that the agreed criteria must be strictly applied, but he also made it clear that that no new factors could be introduced.

He warned against decision-making being skewed by insecurity - the fear of Islam, for instance - adding that obstructing any religion was contrary to the principle of a European community of values. 'It is not religions we must oppose but those who corrupt them to achieve their goals through the use of violence. The problem is not Islam. Muslims, Christians, or people of any faith at all can coexist in perfect harmony. The problem is not religion, but the perversion of religion in order to subjugate women and to sow hatred and intolerance.' 

Başbakan BALKENENDE Türkiye'nin AB'ye üyeliği konusundaki kararın hakkaniyete ve belirlenen kurallara uygun olmasını istemektedir. Aralık ayında Türkiye ile pazarlıkların başlayıp başlamayacağına karar verilecek. BALKENENDE, kriterlerin sıkı bir şekilde uygulanacağını belirtirken yeni kriterler getirilmeyeceğini söyledi ve karar mercilerini yanlış kararlar vermemeleri konusunda uyardı. Karşı olduklarının din değil, dinin kötüye kullanılarak bu amaçla şiddet uygulanması olduğunu ve dinin AB üyeliğine engel teşkil etmesinin topluluk felsefesine de aykırı olacağını belirtti.

The Netherlands holds the rotating presidency of the European Union for the next six months. With EU government leaders now having agreed on the new constitution for the union and who is to succeed Romano PRODI as President of the European Commission, most of Europe's difficult political issues appear to have been removed from the agenda for the time being. But the Dutch government won't be able to relax completely, with the issue of talking seriously to Turkey about its future membership of the EU just one subject to be tackled before the end of 2004.


Dutch Foreign Minister Ben BOT talked about his priorities for the coming period, and what approach the Netherlands will be taking on Turkey as a potential candidate for EU membership.

"I think that as president of the European Union we rather will act as an honest broker, in other words we will await first of all the report by the European Commission. And it is on the basis of this report that we will - in an open, transparent and, especially, in an objective way Ğ look at this report and will try to see what most of the member states think about it, and whether Turkey is ready to start negotiations." "If, due to possible objections of some member states, there should be another delay in the start of negotiations, what would be the consequences in your view?" "It all depends whether it's a delay of a few months or maybe even a year; I think that such a delay would not be insurmountable. The moment that you get a permanent stop or a delay of a much longer period, I think that Europe and Turkey would be in trouble in the sense that it would give the wrong signal from the European Union to an important partner in the world."

"And Turkey is, I think, an important player. It is a member of NATO, of the Council of Europe and of all the other main international organisations. So I believe that it is important that we stick to our promise that if they fulfil the political Copenhagen Criteria, that then Europe will be willing to start negotiations."

'One of the priorities of the Dutch presidency is strengthening EU-Asian relations, but we still have this problem with Myanmar [Burma, ed.] and human rights." "What we are trying to do at present is in our contacts with our ASEM partners to see whether they are able to convince Burma to mend its ways and especially to take a number of measures in the human rights field. We think that is of utmost importance." "Also to the ASEM members themselves, let's say they demonstrate that they attach the same value to the observance of human rights as we do, and that if they accept a country like Burma among their midst that it is a country that behaves the same way as they behave and as we would like them to behave. So, I think it is in the mutual interest of both parties Ğ Europe and ASEM Ğ that we find common ground of discussion and also of an approach to problems, including human rights problems. "I think that the situation has changed. First of all as European, as the European Union, we have now a common agenda, a common approach towards the Middle East Problem.

I may mention here our approach to the Gaza disengagement proposals put on the table by Prime Minister SHARON. We have a very clear view on the implementation of the road map. In other words: we stand united."

"Secondly, I think that at this juncture it's very important that Europe plays its role, especially now that the United States is involved in an election process which may cause considerable delays in the Middle East peace process."

"I'm ambitious, but at the same time I'm realistic, and I realise very well that Europe will not be able to solve this problem all by itself. But I think that the United States also welcomes this European contribution." "I believe that we are ideally positioned, first of all towards the Israelis; we traditionally have the confidence of the Israeli authorities. At the same time, I think we are on very good terms with the Palestinian authorities. Our relations with the United States traditionally have been excellent, and have been reinforced once again by out trips, both by the prime minister and myself, on several occasions, to the United States. And I think that we are accepted and trusted by our European partners, so few countries enjoy this particular situation."

BOT diğer üye ülkelerin konu hakkındaki raporlarını inceleyerek Türkiye ile pazarlıklara başlama konusunda karar verileceğini söyledi. Diğer üye ülkelerin itirazı sonucunda uzun süreli bir erteleme olursa sonucun ne olacağı sorusuna 'Uzun süreli bir erteleme olumsuz sonuçlara neden olacaktır. Türkiye'nin önemli bir NATO üyesi olması da olumlu bir etkendir ve Kopenhag kriterlerine uyulması durumunda adaylığın gerçekleşeceğine inanıyorum' dedi.

Burma konusunda özellikle ESAM ortaklarının insan hakları ihlalleri ile ilgili çekinceleri olduğunu belirten Hollanda Dışişleri Bakanı, bu konuda önlemlerin alınmasıyla sorunun çözülebileceğini belirtti. 'AB'nin İsrail ĞFilistin anlaşmazlığının çözümlenmesinde önemli rol oynamak istediğini görüyoruz. ABD'nin İsrail'in ağabeyi rolü oynaması bu durumu nasıl etkileyecektir?' 'Avrupa bu konuda bir ortak hareket planına ve ortak bakış açısına sahiptir. Ayrıca ABD'de seçim dönemi olduğundan, Ortadoğudaki anlaşmazlığın çözümünün gecikme tehlikesi vardır. Bu nedenle de AB'in bu konuda etkin çözüm üretmeye çalışması gerektiğini düşünüyorum.'

'Avrupa'nın bu konuyu tek başına çözmesi mümkün değildir. Ancak ABD'nin de bu konuda işbirliği yapmaktan memnuniyet duyacağına inanıyorum.' 'İsrail yöneticileri ile aramızda geleneksel bir güven var. Filistinli yöneticiler ile de çok iyi bir anlaşma zemini üzerinde olduğumuza inanıyorum. ABD ile ilişkilerimiz de gayet iyi. Avrupalı ortakların da bizi çok iyi anladığına ve bize güvendiğine eminim. Çok az ülke mevcut durumdan hoşnut.'