Strasbourg, 29/09/2005 (Agence Europe) - Satisfaction, regrets: there were discordant reactions to the European Parliament's decision, on Wednesday in Strasbourg, to defer ratification on the protocol for extending EU/Turkey customs union to the ten new EU Member States, thus reflecting the tone of the plenary debate (EUROPE 9037). Rapporteur Elmar Brok, Chair of the Committee on Foreign Affairs, (whose group, the EPP-ED, under Hans-Gert Pöttering's presidency, had called for the vote to be postponed), is naturally pleased. He said in a press release the Parliament clearly told Turkey that recognition of Cyprus is an essential condition for talks leading to Turkey's EU membership, and that these talks are open-ended,. Two Italian members of the EPP-ED Group, Armando Dionisi and Lorenzo Cesa, (both members of the UDC, Unione dei democratici cristiani and dei democratici di centro), share this view. The conditions for membership have not been met, and this must not be seen as a judgement against Turkey, but as a call to reason in a moment of crisis within the Union. Both Italian MEPs seized this opportunity to renew their request for ratification of the European Constitution. In the same group, Alain Lamassoure of France speaks of a “significant success” and confirms that his party, the UMP, will continue to urge for a “privileged partnership” with Turkey.
Within the ALDE Group presided by Graham Watson, Alexander Graf Lambsdorff of Germany regrets that the resolution adopted on Wednesday does not mention “privileged partnership” as an alternative to accession but is pleased that it does expressly state that, if Turkey does not recognise Cyprus by the end of 2006, negotiations will be broken off. In the same group, British Liberal Democrat Andrew Duff, Vice-President of the EP delegation/Turkish Grand National Assembly, does not at all agree. While stressing that the vote of the Parliament does not prevent negotiations from opening on 3 October, Mr Duff considers it does “sow distrust” among the parties and delays any chance of relaxing the financial and trade embargo against the north of Cyprus (Turkish).
On the Greens/EFA side, Italian Co-President Monica Frassoni welcomes the imminent opening of talks which, she stresses in a press release, must not be subject to automatism and must take place in a climate of mutual trust and respect.