Strasbourg, 05/02/2014 (Agence Europe) - On 4 February, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on Germany to support Turkey more in its accession process. “We expect Germany to support us on the path that leads to Europe and on the accession process. We would like Germany to commit more strongly than it has until now”, Erdogan told Berlin. He recalled Germany's particular role as regards Turkey because Germany has the largest community of people of Turkish origin outside Turkey (3 million). Erdogan underlined the role that his country could play in the prevention and resolution of regional conflicts. “Turkey's entry to the EU would bring a considerable contribution to regional and global peace”, he said, mentioning the Middle East, the Balkans and the Muslim countries of West Africa.
Germany's Chancellor Angela Merkel said she supports unblocking Chapters 23 (on the judicial apparatus and fundamental rights) and 24 (on freedom, justice and security) - chapters that are blocked by the Republic of Cyprus due to the Turkish occupation of northern Cyprus. “I am in favour of unblocking Chapters 23 and 24”, said Merkel. Germany's Minister for Foreign Affairs Frank-Walter Steinmeier stated that “the door remains open to Turkey”. “[We] are among those who say that it is probably better to open Chapters 23 and 24, which deal with human rights and justice and other things, and then to enter into a serious and viable discussion on what the situation in Turkey is like at the moment”, he added.
Merkel nevertheless noted in a personal capacity that she is “sceptical as to the full accession of Turkey”. She said that “this must not hamper us in the long term”. “Personally, I say that we are in a process of negotiation which has a certain result and no fixed timing”, she said. (CG/transl.fl)