‘Turkish police conduct no worse than in the EU’

By Dana Spinant

Date: 24/03/05

The prime minister of Turkey, responding to criticism of the use of force by police against demonstrators in Istanbul, has said that "worse events" happen in various EU countries.

Recep Tayyp Erdogan said in an interview that, while the Turkish authorities were investigating what happened on 6 March, the incidents had been exaggerated.

Earlier this month, on behalf of the EU, the Luxembourg presidency denounced police behaviour in breaking up a women's rally held in Istanbul ahead of International Women's Day. Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said the police behaviour showed a side of Turkey that did not belong to the 21st century.

But Erdogan said: "The gatherings on the 6 March were illegal and certain events arose that required intervention." He added that "cases have been filed against all police officers who were involved".

He said: "Six officers were suspended immediately after the event. Since appropriate measures have been taken, it is inappropriate to put this event up as a pretext."

The prime minister said that the record of EU member states was not better than Turkey's.

"In different European countries we see worse events occurring during these meetings, such as the police riding their horses into demonstrators, the use of high-pressure water sprayed onto demonstrators from armoured vehicles, harming, even injuring demonstrators. These issues are never brought up. I support a fairer approach to these issues."

Erdogan defended his government's record on improving the human rights situation, saying that "from the beginning we strongly stated that we would show absolutely no tolerance of torture and at present systematic torture is non-existent". But he added that even though this was the case, some human rights groups still presented the human rights situation in Turkey in a persistently negative manner in Europe.

He accused the EU of double standards in dealing with terrorists. When a judge's order is used against a terrorist in Europe, the decision is considered correct, he said, "but when a similar judgement is passed in Turkey it is considered incorrect".

While mentioning the importance of a "common platform to fight against terror", Erdogan said that terrorist organisations were still finding financial support in EU member states. "Unfortunately Europe hasn't taken a sufficiently strong position against this. It is said that we should establish a common stand against terrorism, but those that propose this have terrorist groups flourishing in their country. Governments must free themselves of this so we can unite against terrorism for, as we know, terrorism has no nationality, no race or nation. How, when, who and why it will strike is never known."

Erdogan, whose government is hoping to start accession negotiations with the EU on 3 October, said that if Turkey became an EU member, "we will witness a reconciliation of civilisations and Turkey will provide a significant contribution to the establishment of world peace against global terrorism".

He said that Turkey, which has a rapidly growing economy and population, represented a big opportunity for the EU, but observed that some of the Union's politicians "do not see that and some do not want to see it".

"Europe has a serious ageing problem. This is an issue that has to be tackled, for it could threaten Europe's future." On the other hand, Turkey was experiencing a steady increase in its population, "due to our culture", said Ergodan.

He said opponents of Turkish membership of the EU were presenting "insignificant excuses to prevent membership".

"The geographical and population size are not new issues. They were the same in 1963 and they were the same ten years ago. All this was acknowledged when Turkey entered this process. Speaking of these factors now is inappropriate. The actual discussion should be about what Turkey can offer the EU. If the EU is not a Christian club, Turkey should become a member."

The Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, responded to criticism of the use of force by police against demonstrators in Istanbul, saying that the incidents had been exaggerated and that 'worse events' happened in various EU countries. On behalf of the EU, the Luxembourg Presidency had denounced police behaviour in breaking up a women's rally held in Istanbul ahead of International Women's Day, 6 March 2005.