Luxembourg, 26/04/2005 (Agence Europe) - In Luxembourg on Tuesday, the European Union welcomed Turkey's initialling of the protocol designed to extend the EU/Turkey customs union agreement to the new Member States including Cyprus, but voiced concern at several recent events in Turkey and insisted that reforms be implemented. This is the only association council between the European Council of last December, which decided that accession negotiations could start under certain conditions, and 3 October, the planned date for the negotiations to open. The two conditions imposed by the European Union for the opening of negotiations- the signature of the protocol to the Ankara agreement and the entry into force of six crucial laws- were at the heart of discussions, as was respect for the Copenhagen political criteria.
After this 44th council since the association agreement was signed in 1964, the Luxembourg foreign minister, Jean Asselborn, welcomed the “important step” made with the initialling of the protocol to the Ankara agreement on customs union. The protocol was initialled by an exchange of letters between the European Commission and Turkey, just before Easter. In order for it to be signed, the Commission will present a draft text to the Council in the first half of May, said Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. Once the protocol has been approved by the Council, it can be signed by the Presidency and Turkey. Ankara announced its intention to add a declaration to the protocol, to stress the fact that this signature does not mean that Turkey recognises Cyprus. The Commission stresses that this declaration should be taken separately from the text of the protocol and that it should not undermine the protocol.
Only one of the six texts the EU is calling for to be applied has entered into force, which is the law on associations. We “anticipate with interest the entry into force of the legislative texts”, said Mr Asselborn, speaking at a press conference. Mr Rehn took pains to emphasise the new criminal code, which he anticipates will enter into force on 1 June, with improvements on freedom of expression and the media. Initially planned for 1 April, the entry into force of the criminal code was postponed by the government precisely in order to change these two points. The Commission and the Presidency stressed that it is “essential to keep up the momentum of reforms and their implementation”. “We have renewed our determination to implement the reforms”, said the Turkish foreign minister, Abdullah Gül. The common position adopted by the Council for this association council underlines the problems with implementation, despite the government's determination, blaming differences between regions.
During the meeting, the EU made several criticisms of reforms and human rights in Turkey- the same criticisms as were made at previous meetings, but reinforced by a “list of unfortunate events which gave a concrete element to these basic problems”, a European source highlighted. Speaking to the press, Mr Asselborn and Mr Rehn spoke of concerns for freedom of religion, the protection of minorities, cultural rights, social rights and the relationship between the civilian world and the army. During the meeting, and in his written document prepared for the occasion, the EU presented a long list of specific events, stated a European source, including the violent repression by the police of a women's demonstration on 6 March, events in Trabzon, problems with the reopening of the theological school in Halki. There are “individual problems here and there, but we never try to sweep these difficulties under the carpet, we state which penalties we will apply”, Mr Gül told the press, having told the meeting that these were isolated incidents that would be followed up with sanctions.
In its common position for the meeting, the EU voices concern at corruption, continuing acts of torture, legal action against journalists and writers for voicing their opinion, little progress to ensure religious freedom, and the position of the Kurds. It hopes for progress in the normalisation of relations with Cyprus, especially with the establishing of bilateral relations and an end to Turkish opposition to the accession of Cyprus to various international organisations. On a more positive level, the EU welcomes Turkey's improved relations with its neighbours. On the customs union, which has been in force since 1995, the EU stresses that despite its overall success, there remains a number of commitments not being fully respected by Turkey, “which is unacceptable”: non-respect of intellectual property rights, technical barriers to trade, discrimination against foreign operators, denial of access to Turkish ports for Cypriot vessels, insufficient opening up of the market in spirit drinks.
Mr Gül reiterated his country's determination to find an agreement over Cyprus, and called on the EU to adopt two regulations on financial aid and direct trade with Northern Cyprus respectively.
In June, the European Commission will submit the draft negotiating mandate with Ankara. Turkey will receive 300 million EUR in EU pre-accession aid in 2005.