Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2016-11-22-Speech-2-549-000"
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"en.20161122.30.2-549-000"2
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"Madam President, whatever our personal views, the time has come for us all to be honest and open with Turkey – a country that has seen remarkable economic growth, thanks to increasing economic freedom, under a governing AK Party that has married Islam with democracy and economic liberalisation.
There are many who had hoped it could become a model for a new form of Muslim democracy in countries across the Middle East and North Africa, just as Christian democracy developed in Europe. I am confident that many members of the AK Party still share this vision. But we all have concerns over the actions of President Erdogan. Had he simply been content to be elected as a ceremonial President, rather than seeking more power as an executive President, there might be a little less criticism. But what we have seen recently raises serious concerns: opponents being arrested, media being closed, minorities being persecuted. Across this Chamber today, I believe many of us are now united in saying ‘Enough is enough.’
I fully understand why some politicians here, and in our national capitals, are reluctant to criticise Erdogan. I appreciate that there are much wider geopolitical factors at play: sustaining the EU-Turkey migration deal, after Turkey’s generosity in hosting three million refugees; security cooperation – for Turkey too has suffered from terrorist attacks; and not wanting to push Erdogan into Putin’s arms or into a corner.
However, we need to be honest with each other, and, in wanting to be honest with Turkey, we need to be honest with ourselves. For far too long, we have dishonestly dangled the prospect of EU membership in front of Turkey. You and I know there are so many reasons why it may not happen in our lifetimes: prejudice against a predominantly non-Christian nation, whose land mass is mostly in Asia; fears over Turkey’s future voting weight in the European Parliament and Council; concerns over borders with Iran, Syria and Iraq as the EU seeks to extend its Common Security and Defence Policy – to name just a few reasons.
But the EU continues to pretend that it is ‘business as usual’ in relations with Turkey. Yet more sticking plaster across growing cracks! In common with other parliamentary Groups, the ECR has members who are for, against, and agnostic on, Turkish membership of the Union, but we can all see that the current relationship is not working. So, instead of ‘business as usual’, let us build a new relationship based not on false promises but on honesty. Let us build a new relationship based not necessarily on EU membership but on real cooperation. Let us build a new relationship based not on just fighting today’s fires and problems but also on preparing for the challenges we will all face for decades to come."@en1
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