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

Revue de Presse-Press Review-Berhevoka Çapê-Rivista Stampa-Dentro de la Prensa-Baszn Özeti
Delay in National
~~~_~r~gram .~isappoints
EU
• As the government declares a further delay in
the presentation of the National Program, EU
diplomats in Ankara say the second decision to
declare national program at a later date is met
with disappointment and anger
• An EU diplomat remarks that Turkey has been
heading in a dangerous direction as. the climate
in Europe could quickly turn against Ankara
after general elections in major EU countries --
Germany, France, Britain -- and he adds that
Turkey should use the opportunity
• Despite negative signals from many EU
diplom~ts in Ankara, an influential ambassador of an EU country said no candidate country has
presented its national program until the framework regulation and financial package have been
approved by EU institutions .
Selcuk Gultasli
Ankara
- TUrkish Daily News
As the coalition partners once again postponed a possible compromise on substantial issues such as
Kurdish TV. broadcasting and the abolition of capital punishment, European Union member countries
have started to react in.a stronger way to the delays in the National Program .
.At the last meeting of coalition partners on National Program on Dec. 12,the leaders had agreed to
discuss the most sticky issues of Kurdish TV broadcasting, the place of National Security Council in
Turkish politics, the abolition of capital punishment during the meeting that was held yesterday.
Apparently, leaders once more have not been able to agree the most difficult issues further delaying the
announcement of the National Program.
EU diplomats in Ankara have told the Turkish Daily News that the delay in the preparation of the
National Program have both angered and disappointed friends of Turkey in Europe. While the EU
expected Turkey to present its National Program at the end of last year and made its wish clear by its
statements, Turkey chose to delay the process amid many excuses, said the diplomat.
When the coalition leaders last month decided to postpone the debate on the substantial issues of the
National Program, it was reported that the stance was a reaction to the Nice Summit conclusions which
excluded Turkey from its restructuring plans until 2010. Referring to similar arguments, EU diplomats
argue that EU member countries that think Turkey would contribute a lot to the EU - and should be a
part of it - have been extremely disappointed by Ankara's actions. Stressing that the EU has serious
difficulties in trying to understand the motives of the government, a diplomat said: "The process is a
dangerous one for Turkey. There are strong countries in EU who really and sincerely want Turkey to be a
part of EU. However, their expectations have not been met yet. On the contrary they have been
disappointed by the actions of the government that has delayed twice the National Program."
EU sources say unless Turkey hastens its efforts to submit the National Program and then start the
accession talks, the climate which is favoring, Turkey right now in Europe may change after the general
elections in major countries like Germany, France and Britain. "We are trying to understand the logic of
the game in Ankara. We are confused for the time being, but in any case Turkey is losing time," said a
diplomat. Referring to Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit's statements in the wake of the Helsinki Summit in
Dec. 1999 by which Turkey was declared a formal candidate, diplomatic sources they éould not
understand what happened to the enormous euphoria and the wilf for being a mem~er.
Another diplomat said EU has shown its will to include Turkey in the club by declaring the Accession
Partnership Document, .which he called "a real political engagement." The same diplomat said, "Instead
of a reciprocal political engagement from Turkey in terms of presentation of its National Program, we
come across many excuses each day." Stressing that it was apparent that there was no consensus among
coalition partners regarding the sticky issues of the program, the diplomat said he feared the National .
Program presented could be a minimalist one in terms of the document requirements. "After so much
wrangling and debate, the paper that will come out could well be a minimal one being far from fulfilling
the APD criteria." said the diplomat.
Another diplomat said they found the statement by the government that they would work on some
techn,icalities a rather simplistic explanation for the delay. "It is a less satisfaàory development than we
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