Local view for "http://purl.org/linkedpolitics/eu/plenary/2005-09-28-Speech-3-028"
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"en.20050928.3.3-028"2
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"Mr President, listening to Mr Eurlings, we can in any case establish that we are agreed on many things in the resolution, but not, I think, everything. Where Turkey is concerned, there is a difference in attitude between some of the groups to the left, or to the left of centre, and the Group of the European People’s Party (Christian Democrats). That is the first point I wanted to make. I am pleased, though, that we have a clear draft resolution and I hope that it will make it through the voting round unscathed.
Needless to say, we mainly took this House’s position last year as our starting point for drafting the resolution. We have also deliberately repeated a number of points from it in order to explain the negotiation framework that this House would like to use in the coming years.
We have asked for the first phase of the negotiations with Turkey to centre on the political criteria, respect for human rights and fundamental freedoms, and the position of minorities. In that way, the European Union will be able to bring pressure to bear on the Turkish Government not only to set down these rights and freedoms in law, but also to implement them effectively. We have insisted on this many times and will continue to do so; Turkey should therefore put this reform into practice and give it practical expression, so that we can evaluate progress in a good light.
It is at least as important to confirm once again that the ultimate goal of the negotiations is full EU membership. At the same time – and that is also expressed in the resolution – the outcome will of course depend on the process itself. Success is our goal, but there are no guarantees. As the Commissioner said himself, the process is in itself very important and will also have enormous consequences for the future of Turkey itself.
It has to be said, unfortunately, that the debate on the opening of the accession negotiations with Turkey and the text of the resolution are being overshadowed by two issues, firstly the recognition of the Republic of Cyprus, and, secondly, the extension and implementation of the customs protocol, also again in relation to Cyprus. These two problems, I am sad to say, have been brought on by Turkey itself.
It is beyond us why a global decision such as opening ports or airports should be an immense problem of principle. We cannot understand why Turkey finds it so difficult to recognise all members of a club to which it would like to belong. That is why we insist on Turkey relinquishing its objections surrounding the extension of the customs agreement and on it implementing the Ankara Agreement in full and without discrimination. That is why we insist on Turkey formally recognising Cyprus as soon as possible after the negotiations have started. That is why we press home our position that signing an agreement with 25 countries also implies the recognition of 25 countries.
We are afraid, and that is also reflected in the resolution, that these issues could lead to hitches in the negotiation process, or even to its suspension. That is not in our interest or in that of the Turkish Government or of the Turkish people. We would therefore expressly call on the Turkish Government to set down to work on this straight away so that these problems can be eliminated.
Finally, although this is not a debate about Cyprus, or the Cyprus issue, this issue has been tabled and I would like to raise two questions in its connection. First of all, like Mr Eurlings, I would like to ask all parties to return to the negotiating table in order to break the
surrounding the future of Northern Cyprus.
Secondly, I would like to ask the same parties, as well as the Council and Commission, not to hesitate any longer and take the necessary steps in order to give the economy, and with it the people of Northern Cyprus, a chance."@en1
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