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A
two-day conference (19-20 September) entitled “The
EU, Turkey, and Kurds” is under way in Brussels. A
high-level panel opening the European
Parliament-sponsored event yesterday was in general
agreement that Turkey’s treatment of its Kurds and
other minorities is the main yardstick for measuring
the country’s progress toward EU accession criteria.
The panelists agreed that the implementation of
recent democratic constitutional reforms adopted in
Turkey leaves a lot to be desired. The conference
comes as EU ministers are expected to approve today
a declaration on another troubling issue -- Turkey's
refusal to recognize EU-member Cyprus. The
declaration is said to clear the way for membership
talks between the EU and Turkey to begin on
schedule.
Brussels, 20 September 2005 (RFE/RL) - The
Brussels conference comes at a crucial time for
Turkey, with the scheduled start of accession talks
with the EU on 3 October just two weeks away.
The apparent decision on Cyprus removes one
obstacle. EU ministers are close to finalizing an
agreement that Ankara must recognize the island's
Greek south before Turkey can officially become a
member -- a step that may be 10 or more years away.
But despite such resolutions, there remains a
general sense of unease about Turkey's claim to a
place in Europe. This feeling was evident yesterday.
At the very beginning of the event, conference
Chairwoman Karianne Westrheim was forced to observe
that not all participants had been able to come.
“Some of our speakers cannot be here today,
including Tuncer Bakirhan, the president of [the
Kurdish political party] Dehap. Because of his
statement related to the Kurdish question in Turkey,
his freedom of movement has been limited, and he is
banned [from traveling] abroad," Westrheim said. "We
hope that the government of Turkey will understand
that this attitude is unacceptable within the
European Union.”
Other notable absentees included European Parliament
President Josep Borrell and EU Enlargement
Commissioner Olli Rehn. Both had initially agreed to
address the conference, but stayed away in the end,
citing pressing engagements elsewhere.
Standing in for Borrell was one of the vice
presidents of the European Parliament, Edward
McMillan Scott. McMillan Scott is a leading British
conservative member of the European Parliament (MEP),
as well as a parliamentary rapporteur on Turkey. He
set the tone for the conference by endorsing
Turkey's EU ambitions -- but with caution.
“My simple message today is that the process of
change which has begun in Turkey, which has led to a
positive vote in the European Parliament on the
report by Camiel Eurlings earlier this year
[actually December 2004], will be followed by much
vigilance from all the political groups in the
European Parliament into a whole range of issues
that affect EU-Turkey relations, but based, as Madam
chairman has already remarked, on the core
principles for enlargement -- the Copenhagen
criteria of 1993,” McMillan Scott said.
The three panelists that followed all used the
experience of Turkey’s Kurdish community to
highlight serious and persistent shortcomings in the
country’s recently revived record of political and
constitutional reforms.
The only Kurdish representative on the panel, Hatap
Dicle, a former member of the Turkish parliament,
was clearest in his support for Turkey’s EU
membership. In 1994, Dicle -- together with three
other Kurdish members of Turkey's parliament -- was
sentenced to 15 years in prison. Amnesty
International described them as prisoners of
conscience jailed for nonviolent promotion of a
Kurdish political identity.
Now, Dicle told the Brussels conference, Turkey’s EU
membership is seen as a “source of great hope” among
the country’s Kurdish community. However, he
indicated, Turkey's road to European rights
standards will be a long one. He said the Turkish
Army, with the connivance of the government, has
since early 2004 conducted a renewed campaign of
violence and murder in Kurdish areas. Dicle called
on the Turkish government to recognize a Kurdish
political and cultural identity that he said would
not seek to undermine the integrity of the country.
Vittorio Agnoletto, an Italian MEP who is the
coordinator of the Kurdish support group in the
European Parliament, noted that Turkish Prime
Minister Recep Tayiip Erdogan recently hinted at
possible talks with the Kurdish community. But,
Agnoletto added, this has not happened.
Luc van den Brande, a rapporteur for Turkey on the
Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly
Monitoring Committee, said Turkey must ratify the
European convention on the rights of ethnic
minorities. He noted that Turkey has begun reforms
in theory, but has problems implementing even those
dealing with “basic human rights.”
European Parliament Vice President McMillan Scott
spoke for a growing number of European politicians
when he wrapped up his speech. After officially
encouraging Turkey's European ambitions, he offered
a more somber personal view.
“I was one of those who voted for Turkish
negotiations to begin. But, speaking personally now,
I remain to be convinced that Turkish membership [in
the EU] in the present circumstances would be
benefit either to the people of Turkey -- including
the Kurdish people -- of to the people of the
European Union," McMillan Scott said. "We are at a
sensitive moment in the evolution of the history of
the European Union and I don’t think I’m misleading
you in telling you that there are very, very divided
opinions in the European Parliament on that
question.”
McMillan Scott's words left few with the feeling
that Turkey will have to work hard to overcome what
is widely seen as its chronic lack of progress in
order to hold on to its EU ambitions.
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