TURKEY: "The EU officials also warned: "The reform process should continue. Otherwise, negotiations may be suspended". "!!!!!!

http://www.zaman.com/?bl=internation...61031&hn=37809



Europe Discusses Cyprus more than us;
No Consensus Reached yet


By Bahtiyar Kucuk, Brussels, Strasbourg


Tuesday, October 31, 2006
zaman.com




Brussels and Strasbourg are two small cities where the heart of the 450
million-strong European Union beats.

There are currently exciting and heated debates going on in these cities
where the European Commission (EC), European Parliament (EP), European Court
of Human Rights (ECHR) and European Council are located.


The main item on the agenda prior to the release of Turkey's Progress Report
on Nov. 8 is the Cyprus issue. Representatives in the EU's administration
units exchanged views with Turkish journalists in a seminar, "Making More
Sense of the EU," organized by the European Journalism Center.


An EU official says that they are spending all their energy on the Finnish
plan in Europe, where different voices clamor for the future of the island.


An expert from the Cyprus desk stressed that the Turkish Republic of
Northern Cyprus (TRNC) is geographically within the borders of EU and
claimed that the TRNC would go on to live as a minority within Cyprus.

Another EU official said that it was a big mistake for the EU to accept a
divided country into the union while another one said that several countries
hide behind South Cyprus for their own political purposes.


The most interesting statement about the Cyprus issue came from Jacques
Toubon, French member of the European Parliament. The Christian Democrat
Toubon defended that Turkey would never be a part of Europe. When asked,
"What percentage of Cyprus is in Europe?" he responded, "Cyprus is
geographically in Asia; however, it is historically linked to Greece."


EU officials, who say that there will be hot debates in the EU Council in
December, think that it is a risky thing to consider another plan for
Cyprus.




The best thing to do is to change article 301




Diplomatic sources who talked about Turkey's diplomatic performance with
admiration before the start of negotiations expect similar steps from
Turkey.



The best thing for Turkey to do is abolish article 301 of the Turkish Penal
Code. Authorities point out that Turkey's "wait and see" policy is wrong on
this issue and think that hundreds of lawsuits because of article 301 will
be a headache for Ankara in the upcoming years.


Hannes Swobodo, deputy chairman of the EP Socialist Group explained that the
Armenian Bill passed in the French parliament was a blow to freedom of
expression, and added that countries should first look to their own
histories.


Although France is a founding member of the EU, it comes to the issue with a
history of torture perpetrated in Algeria, Swobodo reiterated.


One of the main concerns about Turkey's membership to the union is the idea
that the EU is a Christian club. This apparently a concern in Austria and
some parts of Germany and France as well.



EU sources indicated that they had refrained from starting negotiations with
Turkey for years due to Turkey's failure in maintaining democracy, human
rights and liberties, but they say that they believe in the sincerity of the
present administration.


Stressing that Turkey is a free and strong country, the EU sources say, "We
are not a teacher and you are not students".


The EU officials also warned: "The reform process should continue.
Otherwise, negotiations may be suspended".



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