Turkey membership backed by three Big Guns

Date: 28/11/02

THREE of the five big member states are in favour of Turkey being given a firm date for membership of the European Union at next month's Copenhagen summit, according to the country's president.

Ahmet Necdet Sezer said the prime ministers of the UK, Spain and Italy had expressed 'full support' for Turkey's demand following its 'historic steps' to fulfil the entry criteria.

Sezer has also sought the backing of French President Jacques Chirac, who has shown signs of a more conciliatory approach to Turkey in the wake of the furore triggered by Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, chairman of the Convention on the future of the EU, who warned earlier this month that Turkish membership would be 'the end of the European Union'.

Nevertheless, it is thought that Chirac and Gerhard Schröder, the German chancellor, would prefer Ankara to be given a conditional date at Copenhagen. They want to see more proof that recent reforms aimed at tackling Turkey's poor human rights record and respecting the rights of minorities are being implemented on the ground.

Meanwhile, US President George W. Bush is openly lobbying for Turkey. After bilateral talks at last week's NATO summit in Prague, Sezer confirmed that Bush was 'very supportive' of Turkey's demands to be given a date. The country is a key military ally of Washington: in the event of action against Iraq, the US would almost certainly use Turkish airbases, as it did in the 1991Gulf War.

Sezer also held talks at Prague with Javier Solana, the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs. Turkey is currently blocking EU access to NATO assets, but the president hinted that this could change in the near future. 'We will continue to display a constructive approach; if the EU displays a similar constructive approach, we can reach a satisfactory solution,' he said.

However, Sezer denied that Turkey was using access to NATO facilities as a bargaining chip in its campaign to get a date for joining the Union. 'There is no relationship between ESDP [European Security and Defence Policy] and a date for accession,' he claimed.

The president similarly insisted that there was no link between solving the impasse over Cyprus - unless the two parts of the island can agree on a power-sharing deal only the Greek Cypriot part of the island will join the EU - and Ankara's campaign for a date.

However, Sezer's stance is markedly different from that expressed by Recep Tayyip Erdogan, whose Justice and Development Party (AKP) swept to power in last month's general election.

On a visit to Brussels last week, Erdogan indicated that the prospect of a deal on Cyprus and access to NATO assets was inextricably linked to Turkey's demand for an accession date. 'There is no point in hiding [this],' he commented.

Sezer and Erdogan are in full agreement, however, on what would be the outcome if EU leaders do not deliver at Copenhagen: 'If no date is given it will lead to uncertainty and division in Europe,' warned the president.

Three of the five big Member States are in favour of Turkey being given a firm date for membership of the European Union at the Copenhagen summit in December 2002, according to the country's president.