Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/1999-10-06-Speech-3-010"
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"en.19991006.1.3-010"2
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"(DE) Madam President, ladies and gentlemen, after the statements of the representative of the Council Presidency and also the representative of the Commission, one must certainly assume that a resolution to grant Turkey candidate status will be brought at the Helsinki Summit. I agree specifically with Mr Verheugen when he says that this is one of the most important strategic questions affecting the future of the European Union.
Yet we ask ourselves: what has changed since December 1997 in Luxembourg, when Turkey was invited to a European Conference and refused the invitation? Let us recall the arguments put forward by Turkey in 1997. They said they were suffering discrimination, because they were not included in the accession process. I see Mr Poos, who was present at the time, who belongs to another large group here. If we now grant Turkey candidate status – and I say this in all seriousness –, but then start negotiations with all the other Central European countries, as we can indeed probably also expect from Helsinki, then there will be another sort of discrimination because Turkey is being treated differently to the countries of Central Europe. How shall we then answer that charge?
My group was involved in the drafting of the compromise text of the motion. I must tell you, though, that we could not support this compromise text of the motion in this form, neither Item D nor clause 1, because it would give the impression specifically that Turkey’s membership would have a positive influence on security, stability and development in the European Union. We do not think it right, to say this at this time. We can also see contradictions in the resolution. If clause 2 specifies that the Copenhagen criteria must be respected, i.e. democracy, rule of law, human rights, minority rights, and article 3 in clause 3 then specifies that Turkey a long way from meeting these criteria, then we must indeed take note of this. We cannot believe, on the basis of a deluded policy, that Turkey is today already so far on the way to being granted candidate status.
I am speaking in all seriousness, and certainly not for the sake of being controversial. I know how complicated the Socialist Group made matters regarding the Customs Union, and we in the Group of the European People’s Party were then always in favour of it. I am not saying that in order to reproach you for the change in your attitude in striving after accession status for Turkey. Rather, I am saying it because we in the Group of the European People’s Party were always in favour of having as close a partnership and as friendly relations as possible with Turkey, and that is, of course, still true today.
We therefore want to establish a forum between the European Union and Turkey in which we can discuss all Community issues. I would like to say in conclusion that Turkey of course has a European vocation. But if we grant Turkey candidate status now, the question arises as to what we will say to Ukraine or Russia tomorrow if we refuse them candidate status. We therefore say that this is not the right time to grant Turkey this status. Enlargement to the countries of central Europe must be initiated first. Only when that has been successfully concluded can we perhaps take a further step. But let us not take the second step before the first and, above all, let us do all we can so that this European Union, this great project of European unification, will be a strong, empowered and democratic European Union in the 21st century! This must take priority over all other considerations because we want a Europe of peace and stability in good, clear partnership with Turkey. But the time has not yet come to make strategic decisions regarding Turkey’s membership of the European Union."@en1
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