Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2000-04-11-Speech-2-240"
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"en.20000411.9.2-240"2
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"Mr President, ladies and gentlemen, I welcome today’s debate as an opportunity to take stock, four months after the Helsinki summit and in the run up to the Association Council which the President-in-Office has already spoken about. The Helsinki resolution brought about a net and lasting improvement in relations between the EU and Turkey. At last, it is again possible to discuss all issues openly and critically. Stronger political dialogue is again taking place at all levels.
Today’s sitting has been marked by a constructive and open discussion; as a result I am able to say that the overall balance is highly promising even if, as always in such cases, there are both positive and negative aspects.
Above all, Helsinki confirmed that compliance with the political accession criteria was the sine qua non to starting negotiations. The Copenhagen political criteria concern democracy, the rule of law, human rights and the protection of minorities. Turkey does not yet meet these criteria, which is why negotiations will not start until they do. In the meantime, however, Turkey and the other candidate countries will start to benefit from a strategy of rapprochement and stronger political dialogue. The main element in this strategy of rapprochement will be the accession partnership which is currently being prepared and which will set out the short- and medium-term priorities which Turkey must meet, in accordance with the Copenhagen criteria, in the political, economic and Community acquis areas. We plan to submit the first accession partnership in the autumn of this year.
I think that the accession partnership will be a central instrument in speeding up the process of political and economic reform in Turkey and we made it quite clear in the discussions held in Brussels, Luxembourg and Ankara that this accession partnership must address important questions in connection with the democratisation process and human rights.
The President-in-Office has already spoken about screening and I need say no more on that subject. I should, however, like to say a few more words about the political situation in Turkey. I am sure that you will agree that a series of incidents over recent months has given real cause for concern. For example, 18 members of the pro-Kurdish HADEP Party were sentenced to three years and nine months in prison and three leading members of HADEP were taken into custody but then released shortly afterwards. The three mayors who support HADEP were released after the EU troika had expressed its serious concerns to the Turkish Government.
I particularly regret that Akin Birdal, whose health clearly continues to give cause for concern, was returned to prison on 28 March to serve his four-and-a-half month sentence. The Commission seriously regrets that Akin Birdal, an advocate of the peaceful solution of conflict and human rights, has been thrown into jail once again. I am sorry that the opportunity was not taken to suspend imprisonment on humanitarian grounds. I think that everything points to the urgent need to tackle reforms in a decisive manner and to ensure that freedom of expression is properly protected.
I should like, nonetheless, to draw Parliament’s attention to something which bodes well for the future; I refer to the interministerial government committee in Turkey which is currently advising on the reforms which need to be implemented in order to comply with the political criteria. This interministerial committee will submit a report – an initial draft was published in the Turkish press recently and the final report will probably be submitted in June – containing specific proposals on political reforms and the legislative changes needed.
I think it is important for you, honourable Members, to bring pressure to bear in future contacts with the Turkish side, especially the Turkish parliament, in order to ensure that the relevant reform proposals are also accepted. From an economic point of view, Turkey is in a position to make rapid progress. It has a clear strategy for structural reform, which is supported by the IMF and the World Bank. I hope that Turkey can cultivate social dialogue and an active labour market policy still further in order to underpin the adjustment process. The country has a dynamic economy and a highly entrepreneurial population, which will benefit from a more balanced and transparent growth model based on the EU acquis.
Our relations with Turkey entered a new stage after Helsinki and making progress with the new tasks represents a challenge for both sides. Of course I shall continue to keep you informed of all aspects of these new endeavours."@en1
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