TURKEY: PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN DEPARTS FOR BRUSSELS CONFIDENT THAT TALKS FOR TURKEY'S ENTRANCE IN EUROPEAN UNION WILL TAKE PLACE SOON

Record ID: 217791

  • Title: TURKEY: PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN DEPARTS FOR BRUSSELS CONFIDENT THAT TALKS FOR TURKEY'S ENTRANCE IN EUROPEAN UNION WILL TAKE PLACE SOON
  • Date: 16th November 2004
  • Summary: (EU) ANKARA, TURKEY (DECEMBER 15, 2004) (REUTERS) 1. SLV TURKISH PRIME MINISTER TAYYIP ERDOGAN ARRIVES AT AIRPORT: SLV JOURNALISTS 0.21 2. (SOUNDBITE) (Turkish) ERDOGAN SAYING: "The result may be negative or positive, what is important here is that Turkey carries out a civilization project, we must know that we are in the effort of carrying this pr
  • Embargoed: 1st December 2004 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: ANKARA, TURKEY
  • Country: Turkey
  • Reuters ID: LVA1SOV0ET27C8MKZP437XX4B22L
  • Story Text: Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan departs for
    Brussels confident that talks for Turkey's entrance in EU
    will take place soon.

    Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan voiced
    confidence on Wednesday (December 15, 2004) Turkey would win a
    date for opening long-delayed European Union entry talks at
    a landmark summit of the bloc's 25 leaders this week.

    Diplomats in Brussels confirmed the leaders would agree
    on Friday to open talks with the populous Muslim country in
    October or November 2005 with the clear aim of membership.

    "The result may be negative or positive, what is
    important here is that Turkey carries out a civilization
    project, we must know that we are in the effort of carrying
    this project alongside the European Union, but if something
    unacceptable is to be brought to the table, I want to say
    that it will not be Armageddon, we will continue on our way
    like same, because Turkey has the ability of it" Erdogan
    told a news conference at Ankara airport before flying to
    Brussels for the summit, which starts on Thursday evening.

    Turkish-EU summits have sometimes been stormy affairs.

    Ankara froze ties in 1997 after the bloc failed to make
    Turkey a candidate for membership. It finally became a
    candidate in 1999.

    After a 41-year wait to start talks, Turkey could not
    join the bloc until 2015 at the earliest. The negotiations
    will require a transformation of its economy and society
    far beyond the political and human rights reforms already
    enacted.

    Striking a conciliatory note, Erdogan said he wanted to
    focus on how Turkey could contribute to the EU and help
    turn it into a global power, but he reiterated his
    readiness to walk away from the table if the bloc imposed
    too many conditions.

    "We do not expect any unacceptable condition, but if so
    it is obvious that it would be impossible to accept, I
    continuously say so, and repeating that we would definitely
    put it into the refrigerator and continue on our way." The message
    from EU institutions on Wednesday was upbeat.

    "It is now time for the European Council to honour its
    commitment to Turkey and announce the opening of accession
    negotiations. A clear date should be indicated," EU
    Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told the European
    Parliament.

    "We accept that the accession process is open-ended and
    its outcome cannot be guaranteed beforehand," Barroso
    added, reflecting continued European wariness about
    embracing Turkey.

    The European Parliament, meeting in the French city of
    Strasbourg, also urged EU leaders to open talks "without
    undue delay" in a non-binding but influential resolution
    approved after heated debate between Turkey's supporters
    and opponents.

    The directly elected assembly adopted the resolution by
    407 votes to 262 and also rejected decisively amendments
    offering a "special partnership" or refusing full
    membership.

    Lawmakers urged Ankara to continue human rights
    reforms, negotiate with Kurdish separatists who renounced
    violence and recognise mass killings of Armenians between
    1915 and 1923 as "genocide", something Turkey adamantly
    rejects.

    Diplomats said the summit statement would add that
    whatever the outcome, the EU would keep the strongest
    possible bond with Turkey, implying there could be another
    outcome if it failed to meet EU standards or chose to go
    another way.


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