Strasbourg, 15/11/2000 (Agence Europe) - On Wednesday, the European Parliament approved, with 429 in favour, 24 against and 78 abstention, the report by Philippe Morillon (French, EPP) on progress achieved by Turkey on the path to accession. It welcomes the resumption of the political dialogue within the EU/Turkey Association Council (which met last April following three years of interruption) and encourages the Turkish Government to step-up its efforts at democratisation, in particular with regard to the Penal Code, independence of the judiciary, freedom of expression, the rights of minorities and the separation of powers, and "especially the impact of the role of the army on Turkish political life". Placing emphasis on a series of important conditions (notably concerning Cyprus and the Kurdish issue), Parliament considers that Turkey does not currently meet all the Copenhagen political criteria, and proposes the setting up of "discussion forums", consisting of "eminent politicians from the European Union and Turkey, as well as representatives of civil society, in order to promote the political dialogue and help Turkey progress along the path towards accession". The EP also welcomes the initiative taken by former President Demirel of creating a Europe-Turkey Foundation which "might also be involved in that forum".
Regarding Cyprus, Parliament calls on the Turkish Government to "withdraw its occupation forces from northern Cyprus" and, without precondition, participate in the creation of a "climate conducive to negotiations between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot communities, with a view to reaching a negotiated, comprehensive, just and lasting settlement which complies with the relevant UN Security Council Resolutions".
In addition, be adopting an amendment tabled by Jannis Sakellaroiu, Johannes Swoboda and Giorgios Katiforis for the Socialist Group, Parliament, welcoming the willingness of Turkey to contribute to "improving European capabilities" in the framework of the European Security and Defence Policy, states that "any such contribution must be preceded by a clearly worded policy of the respect of the territorial integrity of Member States".
On one of the most controversial issues - the Armenian issue - Parliament has taken a leading stance, calling on the Turkish Government and the Grand National Assembly "to give fresh support to the Armenian minority - as an important part of Turkish society", notably (amendment by the member of Nea Demokratia, Giorgio Dimitrakopoulos, adopted by 234 to 213 with 93 abstentions) "by the public recognition of the genocide the latter suffered before the establishment of a modern State in Turkey".
Parliament also adopted an amendment by the Green Daniel Cohn-Bendit urging Ankara to begin a dialogue with Armenia in view of reestablishing "normal diplomatic and trade relations".
As for the Kurdish issue, Parliament called on the Turkish Government to find, for citizens of Kurdish origin, "a political solution which respects the territorial integrity of Turkey", and (Cohn-Bendit amendment), urged the Turkish authorities to "engage in dialogue with the political representatives of the Kurdish community", and, notably, with the mayors of the region of the South-East. In addition (United Left amendment), it demanded the release of Leyla Zana, Sakharov Prize winner, and former deputies of Kurdish origin, imprisoned for their opinions.
Plenary did, however, reject a series of amendments by the Front National, one of which "denouncing" the decision of granting Turkey the status of candidate country, and another stating that Turkey, "Asian country for nine-tenths of its territory" and "Muslim for 90% of its population, is no European nation".
Finally, following its rapporteur, Esko Olavi Seppanen (Finnish, United Left), Parliament approved the setting up of a special EIB action programme to consolidate and tighten EU/Turkey Customs Union.
The debate: Opinions differ on Armenian issue - The rapporteur, Council and
Commission urge moderation of EP
During the debate, very few MEPs spoke out openly against Turkey's accession, but most stressed that the road would be long and difficult. Parliamentarians were divided as to whether Turkey should be asked to recognise the Armenian genocide: regarding this, Philippe Morillon (former commander of the peacekeeping forces in Bosnia), said: "Some would like to make of the recognition of this genocide by the government another condition for accession. That would go against the spirit and letter of the process defined in Copenhagen for all applicant countries. I have suffered too much, with all the communities of Bosnia-Herzegovina, from the tragic consequences of the systematic reminder of atrocities of yesteryear, to believe that peace and stability can be built by continually reviving past rancours". For Mr. Morillon, the EU should rather "help Turkey find a solution to the Kurdish problem", and a solution "as soon as possible" to the Cyprus problem: "for which no one would today believe that it remains divided by a wall".
Council President Pierre Moscovici emphasised the efforts undertaken by Turkey "to adapt to European norms and practices", while noting that "much remains to be done". Accession negotiations "can no way" be engaged in before Turkey has met the Copenhagen criteria, said the French Minister for European Affairs, regretting that progress was still "too slow, inadequate even", precisely regarding human rights, fundamental freedoms and minority rights. But, "we must refrain from imposing new or exorbitant conditions on Turkey's candidacy", he said, placing emphasis on "equal treatment for Turkey in relation to the other candidates", as well as the respect, by the European Union, of undertakings made regarding financial assistance. Mr. Moscovici hoped for the rapid adoption of the special EIB loans programme, "doubtless as early as the session of the Economy and Finance Ministers of 27 November".
The Commissioner for enlargement, Gunter Verheugen, considered that the process initiated in Helsinki with the recognition of the status of candidate had led to several "interesting and important" developments, and he cited the confidence-building measures between Turkey and Greece.
Commissioner Verheugen riled against those who said that the word "Kurd" did not appear in the Commission's report on Turkey: you have not read it, otherwise you would have seen that we speak of the Kurdish language, Kurdish culture, Kurdish parties, he stressed. But he also warned: if we cite the Armenian issue in the context of the request for accession, "the plan will fail", as it would fail if we insisted of making a settlement to the Cyprus problem a precondition for accession.
Let us keep the balance of the Morillon Report and let us not adopt a resolution that transforms our Parliament into a kind of court, exclaimed British Liberal Democrat Andrew Duff, and the Green (German elected in France) Daniel Cohn-Bendit, for his part concurred: nobody here denies that there was the Armenian genocide, in the last era of the Ottoman Empire, and that Turkey must "come to grips with the idea" that it has to confront its past, but I am personally not sure of the use of voting today on a resolution citing the genocide. I propose taking this debate to within Turkish society, thanks to the forum we want to create, he added.