Brussels, 23/10/2013 (Agence Europe) - On 22 October, Turkey gave a cautious welcome to the Council's confirmation of the opening of a new negotiating chapter and of the intergovernmental conference on 5 November. “We need more of a flower for it to be spring”, said Turkey's Minister for European Affairs Egemen Bagis on NTV television. He did, however, say that the conference on 5 November, which he would attend with Turkey's Minister for Development Cevdet Yilmaz, is “an important stage”.
Bagis stated that Turkey is determined to open new negotiating chapters - especially Chapter 23 on the judiciary and fundamental rights, and Chapter 24 on freedom, security and justice, which the Republic of Cyprus is currently blocking. “Mr Füle called on the EU to open Chapters 23 and 24 after publication of the report. We have always stressed that these chapters should be opened. The criticism of Turkey - be it in the reports or in the bilateral meetings - is linked to these chapters”, he said. Bagis therefore hoped that “the 27 member states could convince the Greek Cypriot administration to lift the obstacles to opening” these chapters.
Bagis also announced that Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan would hold talks with “high level” EU officials after 5 November and that he would visit Brussels “in December or January”.
Unwelcome decision according to French MEPs. Several French MEPs from the EPP Group spoke of their opposition to opening Chapter 22 - a chapter which was unblocked by France in February. In the view of the leader of the French delegation from the EPP Group, Jean-Pierre Audy, “this decision is particularly unwelcome, coming at a time of total crisis in confidence between the EU and its citizens, and at a time when euroscepticism is increasingly on the rise”. He reiterated that his party, the UMP in France, is opposed to Turkey joining the EU. In Rachida Dati's opinion (EPP, France), “this decision shows a lack of respect for our Turkish partner whom we lead to believe that EU accession is possible” when, in Dati's opinion, Turkey is not eligible to join the EU. “Beyond Turkey, the EU must now more than ever take a lengthy pause in its enlargement”, she added. (CG/transl.fl)