Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2001-10-24-Speech-3-210"
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"en.20011024.9.3-210"2
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"Mr President, earlier this month, a leading Dutch newspaper sported the following front-page headline: ‘As terrorists we can go about our own business in Europe’. Could this be an arresting and, therefore, not very truthful headline? Not really, for the enlightening interview with an anonymous member of the extreme-left terrorist movement, Dev Sol, was in total agreement with this disconcerting title.
The outspoken Turkish terrorist left the reader in no doubt as to the fact that his organisation makes full use of the EU’s territory as their base of operation for their murderous actions against the Turkish state and as a willing reservoir of funds, as and when required. ‘For in Europe, anything is possible’, the man simply declared. And should Europe be serious about fighting terrorism, then action will also be taken here, he threatened.
Mr Lamassoure hardly touches upon this highly topical and acute problem in his report. Despite this, it has been Turkey’s criticism of the EU Member States for years. The rapporteur’s appreciation, expressed in Paragraph 29, of the Turkish contribution to the fight against international terrorism counts for very little in this. About terrorism in Turkey, the Lamassoure report concludes in recital G “that Turkey has largely overcome the difficulties posed by various forms of terrorism in the past”. I should like to find out from the Council and the Commission whether they share this, in my view, far too rash, conclusion.
Official Turkish sources produce very different noises. These are voices which, following the satanic terrorist attacks on the US, have gained a great deal of support. They express the feelings of authorities that are deeply hurt. For years, they could not even count on European solidarity in their bloody fight against Turkish terrorist organisations. Quite the reverse, in fact. EU Member States offered, and still offer, the activists of those movements shelter. And while the Ankara authorities condemn the West’s specific policy of tolerance, this time round, Turkey
allowed to take part in the international coalition against terrorism.
After the memorable date of Tuesday, 11 September, Turkey considers that the time has come for the European Union and its Member States finally to issue effective anti-terrorist measures. In specific terms, this translates into meeting Turkish requests to extradite Turkish terrorists instead of offering them asylum or a residence permit. The European Union and its Member States should, at long last, recognise the permanent internal and external threat to the Republic of Turkey. The double standards applied by the Europeans should, at least from the Turkish angle, come to a definite end. The EU’s emphasis on human rights in Turkey coinciding with the fact that it turns a blind eye to the fight against international terrorism is unacceptable. At least, this is the Turkish point of view.
Is this harsh criticism levelled by Turkey at Europe justified? It is a fact that various violent groupings of Turkish origin maintain organisational structures in EU Member States. Certainly after 11 September, it is more difficult for Brussels and the capitals of the EU countries to ignore this in silence. How do the Council and the Commission intend to cooperate with Turkey, a country which has, after all, formally acquired candidate country status, in future in the fight against international terrorism? Indeed, there is no shortage of legal and political pitfalls. The far from gentle criticism levelled at the Lamassoure report speaks for itself. Despite this, the progress of Turkey’s accession to the European Union will also depend on Europe’s reaction to Turkey’s ‘open flank’, also known as the country’s Achilles’ heel for terrorist attacks."@en1
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