| Author (Person) | Gallagher, Paul |
|---|---|
| Series Title | European Voice |
| Series Details | Vol.8, No.33, 19.9.02, p3 |
| Publication Date | 19/09/2002 |
| Content Type | News |
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Date: 19/09/02 By TURKEY'S new ambassador to the EU, Oguz Demiralp, has warned of a 'strong backlash from the grassroots' against the Union if it fails to set a deadline for the start of membership negotiations with Ankara at this December's enlargement summit. While hoping to be 'pleasantly surprised' at the Copenhagen summit, Demiralp told European Voice that if no date was given for Turkey to commence talks it could 'put in serious difficulty our improving relationship with the EU'. Referring to the EU's previous refusal to give Turkey the green light at Luxembourg in 1997, Demiralp said that the disappointment then could turn 'into feelings of deception' if Ankara was given the same message in December. The warning comes at a potentially critical time for EU-Turkish relations. The European Commission publishes its annual reports on candidate countries on 9 October, less than a month before the Turkish election on 3 November. The ambassador insisted that the EU 'should not repeat the same mistakes as in Luxembourg while elevating the status of other candidates'. 'If a better decision was taken in Luxembourg perhaps Turkey could have introduced its reforms two years ago,' he said. Demiralp said concerns that implementation of Turkey's recent reforms may take time to filter through were overstated. 'We have been hearing a lot about the concept of implementation but there are only a few secondary legislations that still need to be passed.' However, the ambassador said that implementation 'could be encouraged by a decision to open negotiations'. Although the Commission's report will no doubt welcome August's reforms, question marks remain over Turkey's record on human rights. Amnesty International released a report yesterday (18 September) showing that systematic torture is continuing despite the reforms. The charity wants the EU's enlargement commissioner, Günter Verheugen, to urge Turkey to set a date for the abolition of detention in isolation cells. The Commission's last report on Turkey estimated that some 9,000 people were in prison for crimes connected to freedom of expression, including journalists, writers and politicians. The ambassador seemed surprised at mention of this figure. 'Nine thousand people? I don't know who they are...I happen to know this is a very gross exaggeration.' Demiralp, who was speaking before the release of the Amnesty report, said that on 'freedom of speech you only have to observe Turkish TV and media [to see] that Turkish society is a very open society'. Nevertheless, the country's controversial radio and television law, resubmitted despite being vetoed by President Ahmet Necdet Sezer last year, would ban the media from airing 'pessimism'. Turkey's new ambassador to the EU, Oguz Demiralp, has warned of a 'strong backlash from the grassroots' against the European Union if it fails to set a deadline for the start of membership negotiations with Ankara at the December 2002 enlargement summit. |
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| Countries / Regions | Turkey |
