| OLLI REHN | Member of the European Commission, Responsible for Enlargement |
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"Accession Negotiations With Turkey: The Journey Is As Important As The Final Destination" |
Additional Protocol
In this context, I would like to thank the chairman of the Committee of Foreign Affairs and the rapporteur, Mr Elmar BROK, for putting forward the recommendation to give assent to the conclusion of the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement. We regret the fact that Turkey had to issue a declaration upon signature of the Additional Protocol. This obliged the EU Member States to react and to lay down the obligations which we expect Turkey to meet, in a statement adopted on 21 September. It stresses that:
- the declaration by Turkey is unilateral, it does not form part of the Protocol and that has no legal effect on Turkey’s obligations under the Protocol;
- the EU expects full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol, and the removal of all obstacles to the free movement of goods, including restrictions on means of transport;
- the opening of negotiations on the relevant chapters depends on Turkey’s implementation of its contractual obligations to all Member States; failure to implement its obligations in full will affect the overall progress in the negotiations;
- recognition of all Member States is a necessary component of the accession process; accordingly, the EU underlines the importance it attaches to the normalisation of relations between Turkey and all EU Member States, as soon as possible;
- and finally, in the context of this declaration, the European Community and its Member States agree on the importance of supporting the efforts of the UN Secretary General to bring about a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem in line with relevant UNSCRs and the principles on which the EU is founded, and that a just and lasting settlement will contribute to peace, stability and harmonious relations in the region.
Negotiating framework Right before the start of accession negotiations, the Council should adopt the negotiation framework proposed by the Commission. This framework forms a solid basis for rigorous and fair negotiations with Turkey.
Political reform I will spare no effort to repeat time and again that starting accession negotiations marks only the beginning of a very demanding and complex process: Turkey will need to continue and accelerate its process of internal transformation and its transition towards a fully fledged liberal democracy respectful of human rights and minorities. Turkey’s reform process is ongoing. Important legislative reforms adopted earlier have now entered into force, leading to structural changes in the judiciary. The human rights situation has improved, but significant further efforts are required. There have been recently some encouraging signals. The acknowledgment by Prime Minister ERDOĞAN of the existence of a "Kurdish issue" is a landmark. His trip to Diyarbakir suggests the importance the Government attaches to the economic and social development of the South East of Turkey.
The academic conference on the Armenian issue could finally take place in Istanbul with the support of the government and despite last-minute attempts by an administrative court to cancel it. These attempts were strongly condemned by PM ERDOGAN and Vice-PM Abdullah GUL. This is a step forward. However, in order to be fully credible, Turkey’s commitment to further political reforms should be translated into more concrete achievements for the benefit of all Turkish citizens.
Despite the efforts of the authorities, implementation on the ground remains uneven. On the one hand, there are signs that the judiciary is enforcing the reforms. Several positive court judgements have been made in relation to cases on freedom of expression, freedom of religion and the fight against torture and ill-treatment. On the other hand, there have been contradictory decisions, particularly in the area of freedom of expression where, for example, journalists continue to be prosecuted and, on occasion, convicted, for expressing certain non-violent opinions. The case of Orhan PAMUK is emblematic of the difficulties the Turkish authorities face to ensure effective and uniform implementation of the reforms and of the struggle between the reformers and the conservatives in Turkey.
The respected novelist is prosecuted by a district judge of Istanbul under art 301 of the new Penal Code for "denigrating Turkish identity". Yet, an earlier investigation by another prosecutor was dropped following a different interpretation of the same Penal Code, which states in the same article, 301 that expression of opinion with the purpose of criticism does not require penalties!
The Commission made already very clear that its assessment of the new Penal Code, in particular on the doubtful provisions related to freedom of expression, would depend on how actually these provisions are implemented. The prosecution of Mr. PAMUK raises serious concerns in this respect. If this is indeed the direction taken by the judiciary in Turkey, then the Turkish Penal Code will have to be amended in such a way that freedom of expression is not subject to the very particular beliefs of some district judge anymore, but simply follows European standards as we all know them.
Another problem: fundamental problems encountered by non Muslim religious minorities persist. There is an urgent need to address these in a comprehensive manner via the adoption of legislation in line with the relevant European standards. A draft Law on Foundations is currently pending in Parliament but we have made it clear to the Turkish authorities that the current draft still falls short of EU standards.
On these issues, the Commission will continue to monitor closely the progress in meeting the Copenhagen political criteria fully. We shall make a detailed analysis in our Regular Report, to be published on 9 November. I want to add that we shall propose a revised Accession Partnership which will list the priorities that Turkey needs to meet, including in the political area. This will serve as a roadmap for future political reforms and as a yardstick against which to measure future progress.
Conclusion The European Union is at one crucial time, of which we should not underestimate the importance. By opening negotiations of adhesion with Turkey, we take a strong option on the continuation of the political, economic and social metamorphosis in this country. By doing this, we respect our engagements in her regard.
I address to Turkey this message which we must build our relations on a reciprocal confidencebased. I make confidence with the Turkish authorities, so that they embark in this voyage with an open attitude and October 3 provides the occasion of a new departure. The demonstration of an engagement without ambiguity nor ulterior motives towards the democratic transformation and the European values will be certainly the best asset of Turkey to gain the support of the public opinion in Europe.
During the next period, Turkey will have the advisability of showing that she is seriously committed to integrate the European values. The countries which wish to adhere to the Union must indeed share our vision of Europe and our design of international relations based on the democracy, the rule of law, the humain rights and solidarity. They must also share our standards, whether it is inter alia in the social field, environmental or industrial. If the European Union takes a bet on their future adhesion, it is because we also believe that it is in our best interest and that it is for the benefit of our fellow-citizens. I personally commit myself in front of this Parliament rigorously implementing our criteria and conditions.
As I mentioned in many occasions, the voyage is as significant as the final destination. Although the common objective of the negotiations is adhesion, such negotiations are from their nature even open as for the result. But it is in our mutual interest that this process is framed in clear and rigorous principles such as those envisaged within the framework of negotiation. This is the best guaranteed of a success.
3 OCTOBER; A GREAT TURNING POINT IN THE HISTORY OF EUROPE AND TURKEY
I am here first of all to celebrate a great turning point in the history of Europe, which is the launch of accession negotiations with Turkey on Monday 3 October. It is no secret that there were some complications in delivering this result. On the EU side there were differences of opinion and perceptions and in Turkey there were some doubts and reservations about the EU position. However this is understandable given the high stakes that were involved and that 26 countries needed to come to an agreement.
I was there to greet Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mr GUL when he arrived to the conference room Monday night and I can assure you that there was electricity in the air as all the gathered Foreign Ministers realised that they were witnessing the beginning of a new era. At that moment our common vision won through, that the EU and Turkey share the same destiny. Europe and Turkey remained firm in their conviction that religion, culture and history should not divide people, but on the contrary should help them build a common future based on the same principles of human rights, democracy and the rule of law. Such an approach is more urgent than ever, at a time when terrorism, fundamentalism and fanaticism try to spread their poison of hatred and war within our countries.
Turkey has in the past suffered from internal violence and instability. In the European Union we also learned from a terrible past in order to build a new future and overcome centuries of conflict and mistrust. After two terrible world wars, which marked the decline of Europe in the world, our nations decided it was enough. In such a confined and populated area as this continent, with so many different ancient nations and cultures, they recognised at last that the only option left was peace. But not just any peace: peace through unification and cooperation, where countries settle their problems around a table and not on the battlefield, where they design common rules and policies to increase welfare, where they pool their sovereignties to become stronger and more influential in the world. Looking backwards, and without ignoring its difficulties, sometimes quite serious, the European Union is a great and unique success.
Turkey has its rightful place in this project. This was already acknowledged by the EU when the Association Agreement was signed in 1963. It has now been confirmed in a resounding way and I feel proud of this decision. Allow me to pay tribute to Abdullah GUL who is present with us for his hard work, his determination and his openness which made the deal possible. This leads me to my second point, which is congratulating Turkey for this outcome. It is above all the result of Turkey’s achievements in the past few years. Without the determined and steady efforts to come closer to Europe, it would have been impossible to even think about starting negotiations.
It gives a glaring response to all those, both in the EU and in Turkey, who have been making negative predictions over the years. We owe it to Turkey’s resilience to anchor its policies to Europe and also to the exceptional period of political and economic stability enjoyed over the last few years, thanks to the efforts of the Turkish Government.
It is also the sign that in spite of the ups and downs witnessed in the last 40 years, our relations have developed and deepened steadily. For instance, the customs union between the EU and Turkey, which has been in force since 1996, has greatly contributed to rapid economic growth Turkey has enjoyed in recent years. In the first few years, textile and clothing exports to the EU doubled. They have grown ever since.
It is most impressive that, over the last few years, the Turkish government has pursued the reform process first and foremost in the interest of you, the people of Turkey, and not just in order to meet the requirements of Brussels, Paris or London. This, in my view, is the strongest guarantee of success. Obviously, the famous accession criteria are instrumental in such a process. We can call them the Copenhagen criteria – since they were decided upon in that city in 1993 – but as well we could call them the Ankara criteria or the Kayseri criteria!
The European perspective of Turkey is a strong incentive for the continuation of the reforms. But they offer merely a quality fuel for the engine: those who start the engine, are in the driving seat and push on the pedals are and always will be the Turks themselves. In the final analysis, it all depends on you.
This leads me to my third point, which is encouraging Turkey to focus its energies and renew its determination on the accession process.
In fact, we are only at the start of a long process and the real work is only just beginning. Since 3 October, Turkey has moved a very important step forward: it is now a negotiating country and not merely a candidate country. This status entails new expectations, as well as new responsibilities. Let me explain to you why. Turkey is a great country with an amazing potential. Its population is young, its location at the crossroads of East and West is strategic, its entrepreneurs are renowned for their dynamism – not least here in Kayseri - its labour force is brave and tireless. To make full use of such a potential and transform it into reality, the key is good governance. The negotiation process for Turkey means nothing more or less than Turkey adopting the rules of governance which are applied in today’s Europe.
The European legislation, together with our social and economic programmes, form the fundamental rules of good governance which allow our countries and our citizens to work together, to live in freedom and to prosper. These rules are the key to success – to better citizens rights and economic growth. Take a look at the previous enlargements. Look at Ireland, Spain or Poland. When it joined in 1973, Ireland was the poorest member of the European Community. It is now one of the richest. Its GDP per inhabitant is above the GDP per inhabitant of the UK. Spain, Portugal or Poland suffered for decades under dictatorships which suffocated their societies and prevented them from developing. They are now examples of countries which successfully made use of liberty, good governance and the solidarity of the Union to carry out the necessary reforms and significantly raise their living standards.
For Turkey, the adoption of these rules will mean a lot of hard work and many changes. Turkish history has proved to the world that you are afraid of neither. No doubt, Turkey will have to take difficult decisions. Many issues will come to the forefront which will have an impact on people’s daily life. Inevitably, sensitive questions will have to be tackled, not only in terms of economic or trade interest but also in the area of relations with neighbours, peaceful settlement of border disputes and reconciliation.
In this context, the role of the European Commission, which I represent, will be to assist Turkey in meeting the requirements. The Commission has now a long a solid experience of enlargement. It played for instance a central role in the accession of the ten new countries to the EU in May 2004. Even if the Commission will not formally conduct the discussions with Turkey – the EU Member States do that – it will maintain a permanent dialogue with your country. The Commission is there to provide guidance and assistance, to look at how the conditions are fulfilled and to report back to the Member States who take the final decision.
It is precisely because we want this process to be a big success that the EU will follow closely what happens in Turkey. By establishing a rigorous negotiating framework, as adopted on 3 October, the European Union has set into motion a process which is geared towards Turkey’s membership of the European Union.
We will get down to work without delay. Our first task is to open the so-called "screening". On the 20 October, we started this very technical exercise consisting of analysing in details the laws and policies of the EU and compare them with the legislation of Turkey. This will allow us to find out in which areas Turkey will need to focus her efforts in order to align with the EU legislation. In this sense, the word negotiation here is perhaps misleading; the discussions will in fact focus on "how" Turkey will adopt European standards and not on "whether" Turkey will adopt them. One of the fundamental principles of EU membership is that candidate countries must adopt all of the EU’s laws and policies.
Thus the negotiation process will naturally be a long one. It will be a marathon rather than a sprint. Lots of stamina and patience will be necessary. This process will inevitably contribute to blurring the lines between domestic and European matters in Turkey.
Negative developments on issues of human rights and freedom of expression, such as the prosecution of your world famous novelist Orhan PAMUK, will not be a matter of serious concern only for Turkey, but for European public opinion as a whole. Whether you agree with his views or not, we must stand united in defending his fundamental democratic right to freely express himself. Indeed, from this very heartland of Anatolia the message of tolerance has echoed through the centuries from philosophers such as Yunus Emre and Mevlana.
This should not be a surprise but rather the sign that Turkey’s political developments are gradually forming part of the European scene. It is further proof that the destinies of the EU and Turkey are converging.
Therefore there will be a strong link between the pace of negotiations and the pace of political reforms. Turkey will need to continue its process of internal transformation. It will need to speed up its transition towards a fully fledged liberal democracy respectful of human rights and minorities. Looking at recent developments, we can see that in spite of some negative developments here and there, Turkey’s reform process is ongoing. Important legislative reforms adopted earlier have now entered into force, leading in particular to structural changes in the judiciary.
We must continue to work together on the reform process so that Turkish citizens can fully share the modern community of values, rights and freedoms. Significant further reforms will therefore be required in many areas. My services will continue to monitor very closely the situation concerning the Copenhagen political criteria and we will make a detailed analysis in our Regular Report expected to be adopted on 9 November. I am aware of the anxieties in Turkey about the political uncertainties concerning Turkey’s membership bid. I know that public opinion in Turkey is asking more questions about the EU. We know by experience that any accession negotiation process, and even more so in the case of Turkey, cannot be taken for granted.
However, my advice is not to dwell on what other people might be saying but instead focus on what you can do to help Turkey become a member of the EU. Be confident that, if Turkey works well, in harmony and with the participation and support of all its citizens, then the EU will be glad to have you as a member which strengthens our common house. From my contacts with Government, and in particular with Deputy Prime Minister Abdullah GUL and the chief negotiator State Minister BABACAN, I am convinced that Turkey is committed to this process.
The meeting which the Prime Minister, FM GUL and Minister BABACAN have held recently with some 50 NGOs is a good start. There needs to be a broad discussion in Turkey on the issues at stake in the negotiations. There needs to be a large consensus over the reforms still to be adopted. This process cannot succeed without the society at large being fully aware and in control.
My message is that we need to build solid relations based on mutual trust. In this way we will avoid difficulties and misunderstandings in the future. I expect the Turkish authorities to embark on this journey with an open attitude. One issue of crucial importance is to address the concerns about Turkey’s EU membership perspective expressed in the democratic debate in Europe. I strongly encourage initiatives of the Turkish authorities and NGOs to further gain the hearts and minds of your fellow Europeans.
In the Commission, we are prepared to extend all the assistance we can offer. It is the purpose of our initiative on the "civil society dialogue" with Turkey to improve mutual understanding between the EU and Turkey and to overcome misperceptions. We want to involve municipalities, NGOs, professional organisations and business associations, youth, University and cultural organisations in our common endeavour. I hope very much that the people and town of Kayseri will be in the forefront of this campaign. For example, I know that Kayseri is twinned with Mostar in Bosnia-Herzegovina. I would encourage you to organise a twinning also with an EU town.
We propose that the common pattern of projects to be funded under the civil society dialogue should be bilateral exchange projects involving partners from the EU and from Turkey, aimed at improving mutual knowledge and ensuring collaboration and exchange of expertise. It can be anticipated that roughly 40 million euro will be spent on civil society dialogue projects in 2006, including Community programmes. But in the end, Turkey’s best asset to gain support in public opinion in the EU is to show unambiguous and relentless commitment to democratic transformation and European values. As Turkey produces good news, in particular about how the reforms are being implemented, this will have a great impact on European opinion.
By starting accession negotiations with Turkey, the EU has become a stakeholder in the continuation of the political, economic and social transformation of this country. Obviously, the EU is committed to this process because we believe that this is also in our best interest, and it can be beneficial to our own citizens.
In our common endeavour, the journey is as rewarding as the final destination. The reform process is as important as accession itself. Since the 3rd of October, the European Union and Turkey are embarked together in the same journey. Stormy weather for the one will mean stormy weather for the other.
A failure of Turkey would be a failure for the European Union, while a successful Turkey will enhance the role of the European Union as a true world player. Ladies and Gentlemen, this gives us new responsibilities and new opportunities. Allow me then to paraphrase the slogan of supporters of the Turkish football team: Haydi Türkiye, haydi Avrupa Birliği, el ele ileriye!