Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2004-12-13-Speech-1-119"

Predicate	Value (sorted: default)
rdf:type	lpv_eu:Speech2
dcterms:Date	"2004-12-13"^^xsd:date2
dcterms:Is Part Of	lp_eu:Turkey's progress towards accession2
dcterms:Language	"da"^^xsd:language2
lpv:document identification number	"en.20041213.10.1-119"2
lpv:hasSubsequent	lp_eu:2004-12-13-Speech-1-1202
lpv:speaker	lp:Gitte Seeberg2
lpv:spokenAs	substitute; CONT (2004-07-23--2007-01-14)3 member; Delegation for relations with Iran (2004-09-15--2005-03-06)3 substitute; LIBE (2004-07-22--2007-01-14)3 member; AFET (2004-07-21--2007-01-14)3 member; SEDE (2004-07-21--2007-01-14)3 member_of_the_bureau; EPP-ED (2004-08-31--2007-07-22)3 substitute; Delegation to the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee (2004-09-15--2007-11-26)3 unknown; Det Konservative Folkeparti (2004-07-20--2007-08-26)3 substitute; Temporary committee on policy challenges and budgetary means of the enlarged Union 2007-2013 (2004-10-14--2005-06-08)3
lpv:translated text	"Mr President, firstly, I wish to express my support for Mr Eurlings’ report and acknowledge the large amount of work that has gone into it. A lot of speaking time and energy has been deployed on emphasising all the obstacles to Turkish membership of our European Community. I always prefer to focus on the positive agenda. Throughout the Cold War, Turkey was a steadfast ally on the side of the West. Communism was kept at bay, partly thanks to Turkish loyalty towards the NATO Pact. That is something we must remember in this House today. There are substantial benefits to be had in terms of security policy from speeding up Turkey’s integration into Europe. In my view, Turkey is the country that can build a bridge to the Arab world. I would therefore call upon us to act in the forthcoming process on the basis of Turkey’s being ‘a friend of Europe’. Turkey is an asset to Europe and not a burden upon it. Some people have expressed reservations about accepting such a large Muslim country into the EU. I do not share those reservations. The EU is not a religious club; the common denominator is democracy, not religion. Many people, including some in this House today, argue in favour of Turkey’s having a specially privileged partnership as an alternative to actual membership. In actual fact, Turkey has already obtained every possible agreement prior to actual membership. If such a proposal were supported, it would therefore side-track Turkey, and the EU countries would thus be abandoning all the promises we have previously given Turkey. We must ask ourselves: ‘Can we bring ourselves to do such a thing?’. There is no way forward other than that of full Turkish membership. What can be said to an applicant country? That it must fulfil the whole of the but that it cannot have a Commissioner, voting rights in the Council and seats in the common Parliament? That does not make any sense. We must open negotiations with Turkey, as we have promised to do, and give Turkey a fair chance. Whether or not Turkey ultimately becomes a Member depends upon whether the Turks themselves are prepared to implement the far-reaching changes to their society that are required if Turkey is really to become a Member. There is plenty here to set to work on, especially when it comes to human rights. Let us be open and unprejudiced in our encounter with the population of Turkey, and let us join together in combating intolerance where this may be found. As I say, I support Mr Eurlings’ report, even though there are points on which I do not fully agree."@en1
lpv:unclassifiedMetadata	"acquis communautaire"1

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