Patience My Donkey(Olme Esegim Olme)

[Gavur]

EU Sweats Blood to Agree on Turkey 's Negotiations 'Road Map'
By Senem Caglayan

The New Anatolian, Turkey
June 30 2005

The New Anatolian / Brussels

The document is expected to draw criticism from Turkey for three main
reasons. The first is the projected length of the EU negotiations,
which signal long, difficult, and exhausting talks. The second is
that the document puts forward issues that Turkey thought would be
disregarded. The document also makes reference to dialogue between
EU communities, which Turkey considers unjust

While Ankara is relieved that no reference is made to 'privileged
partnership' in lieu of full membership, it also finds cause for
concern: for the first time ever, a negotiations road map explicitly
mentions that the talks are 'open ended'

The European Union Commission worked hard to reach an agreement
yesterday on the negotiations "road map" for Turkey , adding meat to
last year's decision that Ankara 's negotiations for full membership
will begin on Oct. 3.

Following a lengthy, comprehensive, and constructive discussion in the
EU Commission, an agreement was reached. According to the framework
document, the aim of the negotiations is Turkey 's full membership
in the EU, but full membership will not be realized before 2014.

The main issues in the document are as follows:

- Turkey will begin negotiations on Oct. 3.

- Turkey 's full membership will not be realized before 2014.

- The success of negotiations depends on fulfillment of
responsibilities and the application of reforms by Turkey .

The length of the negotiations sent a red flag to Turkish observers,
since it signalled that that its talks could well be long, difficult
and exhausting.

Main aim is full membership

EU Commissioner Responsible for Enlargement Olli Rehn said that the
negotiations will begin on Oct. 3 with the aim of full membership,
but added that the success of the negotiations depends on Turkey
's fulfillment of its responsibilities.

Rehn made the remarks during a press conference held after the
discussions. "I think the EU states will approve the 'road map' on
Oct. 3 because they had previously determined the main issues of the
document in the June and December [2004] EU summits," he added.

"The negotiation process is as important as the consequence. But the
negotiations will be long and difficult," he said.

Rehn's first remarks will probably be evaluated as a positive
decision by the ruling Justice and Development (AK) Party, but the
main opposition party is expected to criticize the decision, claiming
that the negotiations will go nowhere.

Negotiations will be open-ended

The road map stated that negotiations will be open-ended, a statement
that again caused concern in the Turkish government, since this is the
first time such a statement has appeared in such a "road map" document.

Concerning the issue, Rehn said that entry talks with Turkey don't
guarantee membership, adding that all the negotiations are open-ended
in nature. "The beginning of negotiations on Oct. 3 aims at giving
Turkey a fair chance for EU membership."

Meanwhile, the document makes no reference to proposals for "privileged
partnership" in lieu of full membership, a development that brought
relief to Turkey .

Concerning the privileged partnership issue, Rehn said that this issue
was discussed during the EU Commission's meeting since some EU states
support this status for Turkey , but no reference was made to it in
the document.

Talks could be suspended in case of emergency

The negotiations road map also said that negotiations with Turkey could
be suspended in the case of an emergency. In this article, emergency
refers to the serious violation of human rights or violations of the
rule of law.

The suspension of membership talks with Turkey could only be brought
about by a proposal from the EU Commission or by the approval of
one-third of the EU member states.

Therefore, Turkey sees the the prospect of suspension as distant,
since it considers attaining such a majority within the EU impossible.

Even if talks fail, Turkey 's roots with EU should be strengthened

Rehn stressed the importance of the total fulfillment of Turkey
's responsibilities and the implementation of reforms necessary for
Turkey to become a full EU member state. He added that even if the
negotiations fail, Turkey 's roots with European structures should
be strengthened.

This statement in the document was also a cause for concern for Turkey
, since it seems to aim at making Turkey somehow dependent on Europe .

EU urges Turkey to sign Ankara Protocol, normalize ties with Greek
Cyprus

The document also calls on Turkey to sign the Ankara Protocol, which
would extend the Customs Union agreement to the 10 new members of
the EU, including the Greek Cypriot administration.

Olli Rehn said that he expects Turkey to sign the protocol this summer
before beginning negotiations on Oct. 3.

The document also urged Turkey to further normalize relations with the
Greek Cypriot administration and to continue its constructive manner,
in order to find a permanent solution for Cyprus .

Rehn described Turkey 's manner so far as "very constructive" during
his speech.

Meanwhile, the road map document also urges Turkey to open its seaports
to Greek Cypriot ships.

Road map refers to border disputes

The road map document also made a reference to Turkey 's border
disputes and urges Ankara to solve all such disputes, and to attain
good neighborly relations.

Rehn also touched on this issue during his speech, saying, "The EU
expects Turkey to respect the EU's good neighborhood relations and
to obey the United Nations' rules."

This statement will probably attract criticism from Turkey , which
has ongoing border disputes with Armenia .

Budget concerns

The document also stated that the EU should approve the budget for
the period that follows the 2007-2013 period when Turkey could become
a member.

On this issue, Rehn said that the capacity for EU members' acceptance
is determined by the EU budget, and the budget crisis threatens the
enlargement process. "The European financial perspective and its
associations should be strengthened in order to solve future troubles."

This statement is also critical for Turkey because it's apparent
that if EU members fail to agree on the EU's future budget, this will
directly affect Turkey 's membership.

Rehn: Civil dialogue will be established between EU citizens

Rehn said that a civil dialogue will be established between the EU's
citizens, and this dialogue will also include the citizens of the
candidate states.

Following the recent rejection of the proposed EU constitution
by French and Dutch voters, Rehn's statement will probably catch
the attention of concerned circles since it aims to integrate and
unite all EU communities in order to prevent a possible future EU
constitution crisis, which might also affect Turkey 's membership.

But making a reference in the document to dialogue between EU
communities also might bring criticism, since Turkey thinks that it's
unjust to refer to dialogue in a document that concerns negotiations
with Turkey.


It sound's like it will take more then westernized dresscode and conversion to latin alphabet

[Gavur]

Turkey disappoints

Euro-reporters.com, Belgium
July 14 2005

Turkey disappoints
Written by Brussels journalist David Ferguson
Thursday, 14 July 2005

Turkish Chief EU Negotiator Ali Babacan failed to make the best of
impressions with MEPs in Brussels. "Babacan avoided talking about the
most obvious shortcomings of Turkey regarding the accession criteria
such as the recognition of Cyprus, the Armenian genocide, the status
of the Kurds and the adoption of the so-called law on foundations,"
said German CDU MEP Renate Sommer.

Sommer, also vice chair of the EP-Delegation on relations with
Turkey, accused Babcan of 'threatening' MEPs by telling them to
abstain from critical questions which may be perceived as 'insults'
to Turks. "My question on the recognition of Cyprus was completely
ignored. Obviously, Mr Babacan thinks that he only has to negotiate
with 24 Member States about accession."

Babacan painted as positive a picture of Turkey's EU application
efforts as possible when speaking to the Parliament's Foreign Affairs
committee earlier this week: "This long awaited decision to start
negotiations confirmed the desire of both sides to forward our
relationship towards full membership. I emphasize 'full membership'
as no document signed between Turkey and the EU nor any other EU
decision envisages any other option," said Babacan.

"We are setting the rules, not Turkey," said Sommer. "It is the duty
of MEPs to insist on Ankara's compliance with the Copenhagen
Criteria, of which no single point has yet been met by Turkey
despite the fact that the start of negotiations has already been
foreseen."

Sommer got support from weighty party colleagues. Elmar Brok, chair
of the Foreign Affairs Committee, Camiel Eurlings, rapporteur on
Turkey, and Antonios Trakatellis, vice-president of the European
Parliament, jointly called on Turkey to ensure religious freedom:
"Religious freedom is not fully ensured in Turkey and the current
draft law on religious foundations falls short of European
standards," said the three. "We appeal therefore to the Turkish
authorities to amend this draft law in a way that all religious
communities established in Turkey can enjoy similar rights as they do
in EU Member States."

"We will recommend to the European Council, which is meeting on 18
July, that this issue of religious freedom and equality is given the
appropriate emphasis in the framework of EU-Turkey negotiations which
is due to be adopted," added Brok, Eurlings and Trakatellis.

Like her CDU/CSU party colleagues back in Germany, Sommer feels
Turkey is not suitable for EU membership: "Without a radical change
in mentality, a full recognition of Cyprus, open discussion of the
Armenian question, an end to the war against the Kurds, equal rights
for women and unrestricted religious freedom, we will continue to
refuse Turkish accession to the EU," Sommer warned.

[Gavur]

Zaman, Turkey
July 19 2005

Southeastern Citizens Ask about EU
By Erkan Acar, Yusuf Ipek
Published: Tuesday July 19, 2005
zaman.com

After a busy working term, Turkish MPs who traveled to their election
districts are being asked unexpected questions. Mehmet Fehmi Uyanik,
a Justice and Development Party (AKP) MP, responding to citizens'
questions in the villages of the Turkish Southeastern city of
Diyarbakir was told their demand, "Don't let the government lose its
enthusiasm about the EU" instead of complaints about unemployment.

After Parliament adjourned for the summer, MPs have begun to return to
their election districts and to listen the problems of local citizens.

One such MP is Uyanik, and he is also a member of National Defense
Commission. Uyanik who visited some villages near the city, mingled
with the citizens and was asked questions about the European Union
instead of being told their complaints about agriculture. Villagers
asked him whether Turkey will be accepted for EU membership and
demanded that the government not to lose its enthusiasm regarding
the EU.

The AKP Diyarbakir MP paid his first visit to Sati village Sunday.
This village is where Armenians resided during the first years of
Turkish Republic and has been a place much frequented by European
delegations during recent years. Representatives coming from the EU
mostly want to see the village's church, now used as a mosque. The
150-house village went through tough years at times of intensive
terrorism but today it is peace that prevails there. Citizens who
heard that an MP had come to their village gathered around Uyanik.
When villagers, who generally prefer to listen began ask the MP
questions about the EU, Uyanik was surprised. The village head Arap
Aslan asked questions such as, "Would they accept us into the EU?
What will be different in our lives if we enter the EU?" A city
dweller Abdullah Topuz asked, "There are a lot of differences between
European countries and us in terms of economics, how will this gap
be closed?" Uyanik was at first surprised however; he then commenced
answering their questions. He tells about the advantages that EU
membership will bring in terms of economics, law and freedoms and
shows Greece as an example to this. He reminds that Greece, where
the national income per capita was lower than in Turkey before its
membership has now left Turkey behind thanks to EU funding.

[Gavur]

Swiss Parliamentarian: Turkey Bound To Acknowledge Armenian Genocide

PanArmenian News Network
July 29 2005

SWISS PARLIAMENTARIAN: TURKEY BOUND TO ACKNOWLEDGE ARMENIAN GENOCIDE

29.07.2005 04:30

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Chairman of the commission for foreign affairs of
the Swiss House of Representatives Ervin Jutset stated that Turkey
must acknowledge the Armenian Genocide, otherwise it will face
serious problems with the EU. In his words, Turkey should abandon its
tone of aggression and blackmail and proceed to reform. When
commenting on the criminal prosecution against Chairman of the
Turkish Union of Historians Yusuf Ghalaoghlu and Chairman of the
Turkish Labor Party Dogu Perincek, who keep on denying the Armenian
Genocide, the Swiss parliamentarian that unless Turkey assumes the
responsibility for the Armenian Genocide it will perceive any events
of the kind oversensitively, Yerkir online reports.

[Gavur]

Armenian Issue: Switzerland Surprised At Turkey's Protests

PanArmenian News Network
July 29 2005

ARMENIAN ISSUE: SWITZERLAND SURPRISED AT TURKEY'S PROTESTS


29.07.2005 04:58

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Federal department of the Swiss Foreign Ministry
supported the adaptability of the Swiss legislative against Chairman
of the Turkish Labor Party Dogu Perincek, who has publicly denied the
Armenian Genocide, Tagblatt daily reports. After the Turkish Foreign
Ministry subjected to sharp criticism Swiss Ambassador to Turkey
Walter B. Gyger met with the head of the Swiss MFA department of
foreign affairs, who was extremely surprised at the ongoing protests
of the Turkish party. The Swiss Penal Code says that denial,
understatement or approval of genocide and crimes against humanity
are penal actions. Nevertheless Switzerland welcomed the proposal by
the Turkish government on formation of a joint Armenian-Turkish
commission to investigate the fact of the Armenian Genocide.

[Gavur]

Papadopoulos threatens to veto start of Turkey

Papadopoulos threatens to veto start of Turkey
Saturday, July 30, 2005


ANKARA - TDN with wire dispatches


Greek Cypriot leader Tassos Papadopoulos has warned that he will veto the start of Turkey's accession negotiations with the European Union if Ankara refuses to recognize and treat Greek Cyprus as a full and equal member of the EU.

Turkey signed Friday a trade agreement with the 10 new members of the EU, including Greek Cyprus. Ankara insists, however, that its signature does not amount to recognition of the Greek Cypriot administration in the southern portion of the divided island or commit Turkey to implementing the trade deal's provisions with it.

"Turkey must sign the agreement without any terms or preconditions," Papadopoulos said.

"Our position is that until Turkey signs the protocol in a manner satisfactory to us, we will not accept the opening of discussions within the framework for its accession negotiations with the EU," he said.

Greek Cyprus joined the EU with nine other new members in May of last year, and this has strengthened its negotiating position with Turkey, since it now has veto power to block the planned opening of EU-Turkey accession negotiations on Oct. 3.

The protocol "covers many issues, like trade and the transportation of goods or persons. ... By signing, Turkey has an obligation to implement all its provisions in the case of all the 10 new members of the EU including Cyprus," Papadopoulos said.

In addition to its refusal to recognize Greek Cyprus, Turkey also bars the use of its seaports and airports by Greek Cypriot-flagged ships and aircraft.

"A country cannot sign an international agreement and at the same time declare that it will not implement it," Papadopoulos told reporters at the airport after returning from London, where he discussed the protocol with British Prime Minister Tony Blair.

Blair, who conferred a day earlier with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, said that "the signing of the protocol does not involve the recognition of Cyprus.”

Speaking during a joint press conference with Blair, Erdogan repeated the Turkish position that the signing of the protocol would not amount to the recognition of Greek Cyprus.



Greek Cypriot commissioner attacks Talat:

Meanwhile, the Greek Cypriot representative at the EU Commission criticized Turkish Cypriot authorities for denying him the usual diplomatic privilege of entering Turkish Cyprus without showing identification papers.

Markos Kyprianou, a Greek Cypriot serving as health and consumer protection commissioner, accused the Turkish Cypriot authorities of discriminating against him personally by denying him a privilege routinely accorded to other EU officials and Greek Cypriot politicians.

"Here we see discrimination against me personally because other Cypriot politicians and all other Europeans have this facilitation," he told reporters.

Kyprianou asked how Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat could expect the EU executive to do more to end Turkish Cypriot isolation when he was denying one of its representatives privileged entry.

"Any action against me is also an action against the European Commission," the commissioner said.

"With this decision, Mr. Talat is leading Turkish Cypriots to self-imposed isolation, and he cannot complain because here is the EU wanting to meet with them and he refuses."

[Gavur]

Talks May Be Delayed

French Premier Says EU-Turkey Talks May Be Delayed on Cyprus
Aug. 2 (Bloomberg) -- French Prime Minister Dominique de Villepin said Turkey's refusal to recognize Cyprus may delay its talks to join the European Union, which are scheduled to begin Oct. 3. Turkish stocks dropped following his comments.

``It doesn't seem to me that a process of negotiations can start with a country that doesn't recognize'' all 25 EU countries, De Villepin told Europe 1 radio today.

Turkey signed an accord July 29 extending trade preferences to Cyprus, while insisting that it didn't amount to formal diplomatic recognition.

Turkey's benchmark stock index fell 0.5 percent to 29,615 at 9:09 a.m. in Paris, reversing a gain of 0.4 percent.

[Gavur]

EU Warns Turkey on Religious Freedom

EU Warns Turkey on Religious Freedom

BRUSSELS (Reuters)--The European Commission said on Thursday it had written to
Turkey complaining about legislation on religious foundations that did not
meet
EU standards for the rights of non-Muslim communities.
But the European Union's executive stressed that the mid-June complaint,
which
it said Turkey had promised to address in October, did not threaten a planned
October 3 start for entry talks.
"Today, Turkey is far from fulfilling all the criteria to be a member of the
European Union. Freedom of religion is the highest priority for us and it
would
be an essential point in the negotiations," Commission spokesman Amadeu
Altafaj
Tardio told a news briefing.
Turkey is working on a new law meant to ease property restrictions on its
non-Muslim minorities, including Orthodox Christians, though EU diplomats have
said the current draft does not go far enough.
Istanbul-based Patriarch Bartholomew, ecumenical head of the Orthodox Church,
has long complained that his church suffers from numerous petty bureaucratic
regulations that prevent it from freely using property it owns.
His calls for the reopening of the church's Halki seminary on an island near
Istanbul have not brought results, and he is worried there will be no
home-grown clergy left to minister to the declining Greek Orthodox faithful in
a few years' time.
The EU spokesman said Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn had contacted chief
Turkish negotiator Ali Babacan on Wednesday.
Ankara had already revised the draft bill once, but had not made sufficient
changes in the Commission's view.
"The Turkish authorities are well aware of the importance of this issue,
which
will be addressed once Turkish parliament resumes its activities in October,"
the spokesman said.
He did not detail the objections, but a partial text of the letter seen by
Reuters spoke of "serious problems in relation to the management of the
religious communities' foundations, their property rights and the legal
personality of communities."
In a Reuters interview last year, the Orthodox Patriarch said: "We have the
freedom to perform all our religious services but we have no right to
administer our ecclesiastical foundations--churches, monasteries, cemeteries,
schools etc."
The German daily Handelsblatt was first to report the recent Commission
letter
amid growing pressure on Turkey to recognize Cyprus before the start of the EU
talks, something Ankara refuses to do.

[Gavur]

US Congressman Submits Resolution Urging Turkey to Recognize Cyprus

US Congressman Submits Resolution Urging Turkey to Recognize Cyprus

Nicosia (CNA)--New Jersey Democratic Congressman Robert Menendez has submitted
a resolution to the US Congress calling on Turkey to fully recognize all
European Union members, including Cyprus.
The resolution, supported by ten members of Congress both from the Democratic
and the Republican Party, calls for the removal of Turkish occupation forces
from the northern third of Cyprus in accordance with UN Security Council
Resolution 353 and says that Turkey should recognize the fundamental rights of
all Cypriots with respect to the right to own property, the right of free
movement, the right of free settlement and the right of return for refugees.
The resolution expresses the view that the Republic of Turkey should continue
to demonstrate that it was meeting the criteria set forth in the Copenhagen
European Council for accession to the EU and should do so prior to the
start of
accession negotiations.
It calls on Turkey to continue to adhere to all criteria for accession to the
EU and to extend its customs union to all EU members and to fully recognize
all
EU members, including Cyprus.
Furthermore, it calls on Turkey to respect EU laws and demonstrate that it
was
willing to abide by such laws and urged Ankara, in accordance with the UN
Security Council Resolution 353, to abandon all insistence of the right to
intervene in or invade Cyprus.
It urges Turkey to work and cooperate with the UN and Cyprus toward the
discovery of the fate of every missing person and to pledge to uphold and
safeguard human rights without compromise.
The resolution encourages Turkey to continue the advancement of processes and
programs to modernize and democratize its own society.
The resolution was referred to the Committee on International Relations,
which
will decide if it will forward it to the plenary for final adoption.

[Gavur]

Denmark Against Turkey's Accession To Eu

DENMARK AGAINST TURKEY'S ACCESSION TO EU


05.08.2005 07:16

/PanARMENIAN.Net/ Denmark is the third state after France and Belgium protesting against Turkey’s EU membership. About 62% of the Danish population said “no” to Turkey’s joining to the European family.