Bulletin de liaison et d'information - Institut kurde de Paris

REVUE DE PRESSE-PRESS REVIEW-BERHEVOKA ÇAPÊ-RIVISTA STAMPA-DENTRO DE LA PRENSA-BASIN ÖZETi
16
Turkish Probe October 19, 1993
Turkey-EO Relations
Enter a Difficult Period
Nobody
in Ankara wants to speak about it
openly, but Turkey's relations with the European
Community (EC) is entering a difficult
period. The Community's term presidency will pass
on to Greece for the first half of 1994.
Aware of the possible problems during that period,
the Turkish foreign ministry has accelerated efforts
to push for Turkey's membership in the Community.
Prime Minister Çiller's visit to Germany on September
20-22 was important for Ankara in this respect
because the German foreign minister will be
the term president of the Community in the second
half of 1994.
During the visit both Çiller and Foreign Minister
Hikmet Çetin highlighted the need for releasing suspended
EC funds to Turkey. They said this was necessary
in order to aUeviate the extra burden that
will be imposed on Turkey as it enters into a customs
union with .the Community in 1995 -- the first
country to. do so before being accepted as a full
member.
Turkey says that "in addition to the estimated $3
billion it is owed by the EC because of the suspended
fourth, fifth and sixth financial protocols, the
country willlose another $3 billion from the customs
union.
Government pfficials in Ankara recall that around
$20.billion each in ECassistance had been extendedto
Spain, Portugal and Greece, before they became
full members of the community. The Fourth
protocol which was prepared in 1980 was suspended
by the Community following the military coup in
Turkey that year, because of the appalling state of
human rights in the country.
The suspension continued after Turkey's return to
democracy following the general election in 1983.
The Fifth protocol which was to be put in effect in
1985 and the Sixth one in 1990 were also suspended
because of Greek opposition.
Greece cited the state of human rights in Turkey
and the situation in Cyprus as the reason for its opposition.
The subject of the financial protocols was
one of the main topics that Çetin highlighted during
the Turkey-EC Joint Parliamentary Commission
meeting held in Brussels on October 11-12.
Emphasizing Turkey's commitment to a customs
union with the EC, Çetin said in his address toJPC
members that both parties had certain obligations to
fulfill. .
"The implementation of the "protocolswould alleviate
the possible negative effects of the customs union
on Turkey, and would assist the Turkish economy's
integration with the rest of the community,"
Çetin said. .
The Foreign Minister said that Turkish workers
were determined to benefit from the right to free circulation
in Europe as spelled out in agreements
signed between Turkey and the EC. "We are aware
of the difficulties this freedom of movement would
present in the current situation. At.this stage we are
only asking for these rights to be granted to our citizens
who are part of the legal employment market of
EC member states," Çetin said.
Greece, Turkey's neighbour and ally in the North
Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and, at the
same time, its historical rival, poses the biggest obstacle
for Turkey's full membership to the Community.
As an associate member of the Community's, following
the signing of the 1963 Ankara agreement,
Turkey applied to become a full member in April
1987.
An important detail about Greece's upcoming term
presidency is that PASOK leader Andreas Papandreou
is now back in power in that country. He is
known with his rather hawkish policies regarding
Turkey. . .
Papandreou's position regarding Turkey and Cyprus
is expected to be clarified during the vote of
confidence debate in the Greek Parliament this
week, and also during the Turkey-EC Association
Councilmeeting due to be held in Brussels on November
7~8.
Greece says thai unless the Turkish military presence
in Cyprus is brought to an end it will continue
to veto Ankara's membership.
On the question of Cyprus, the Turkish foreign
minister told the JPC last week that a fair and permanent
solution 10 the issue would be found "without
artificial outside intervention." A green light to Cyprus
(and Malta) earlier this month for their full membership
in the community has made the situation
even more difficult for the Turkish government.
Çetin says, if Brussels insists on recognizing the
Greek Cypriot government as the government of the
Turkish community on the island as well, that will only
make the division of the island permanent.
He said unbiased support for negotiations brokered
by U.N. Secretary General Boutros Boutros-
Ghali were crucial, and he criticized the EC Council
of Minist~r'srecent decision on Cyprus' membership
in the Community.
Despite the apparent difficulties, diplomatic sources
from EC countries --other than Greece-- think it is
not possible for Greece to impose its national policy
over that of the EC, even when its the term President.
On the contrary, they say, Greece's exaggerated
insistence on not recognizing the former republic of
Macedonia; its linking almost every issue related to
the EC with Cyprus; and its digging into EC funds
without contributing much to the Community's budget
may turn the picture upside tfown for Athens during
its term presidency.•
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