Schulz’s contacts in Turkey; Schulz: “Turkey’s EU membership would take a very long time”
Ankara Anatolia news agency (28.05.12) reported that the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan met on Monday with the President of the European Parliament Martin Schulz in the Turkish capital, Ankara.
Turkey’s European Union Minister Egemen Bagis also attended the meeting, which was closed to the news media.
Schulz was received earlier in the day by Turkish President Abdullah Gul at the Cankaya Presidential Residence. Turkish Parliament Speaker Cemil Cicek also attended Gul’s meeting with EP head.
Earlier in the day, Schulz spoke at the inauguration ceremony of the Inter-parliamentary Exchange and Dialogue Project at Turkish Parliament.
In statements during the ceremony. Schulz said, inter alia, that Turkey needs crucial reforms on way to EU membership. “it is no secret that Turkey’s EU membership would take a very long time and would be a difficult one. Turkey needs crucial reforms on way to EU membership”.
(…) “Membership in the EU does not imply losing a country’s identity. In fact, on the contrary, Turkey’s membership would mean contribution to a common Europe. The dialogue between Turkey and the EU will support the “Positive Agenda” process between the two entities”, Schulz underlined.
“Turkey’s membership process is in a period of deadlock due to chapters frozen based on political reasons. It is no secret that Turkey’s EU membership would take a very long time and would be a difficult one. Turkey needs crucial reforms on way to EU membership”, Schulz stated.
Pointing out the importance of making constitutional changes and implementing the new laws in the EU process, Schulz said that the centre of constitutional changes had to be the parliament itself.
(…)
Stressing Turkey’s support to EU’s common foreign policy and security issues, Schulz thanked Turkey for its approach to Syria.
Speaking on behalf of Turkey’s EU Minister Egemen Bagis who could not attend the ceremony due to his plane’s delay, the Undersecretary of Turkey’s EU Ministry Haluk Ilicak said that all pre-conceived notions could be eradicated by dialogue and understanding each other better.
Touching on the deadlock in Turkey’s EU process, Ilicak said that the “Positive Agenda” was intended to get over the deadlock but was not an alternative to negotiations.
The EU needs to keep Turkish citizens exempt from visa requirements. The Turkish side is receiving an unfair treatment over Cyprus, Ilicak also said.
Also, in statements at a press conference in Ankara on Monday, the head of the European Parliament has said that Turkey’s new constitution should be compatible with the European Union’s charter on fundamental rights.
“It is really important and not negotiable that the new constitution must be compatible with the Charter of Fundamental Rights of the EU,” said Schulz.
Describing himself as a strong defender of Turkey’s EU membership, Schulz said there were still issues that should be resolved between the union and Turkey. The EP president said the state of Turkey’s negotiation process, visa debate, the Republic of Cyprus term presidency ahead and the ongoing constitutional reform process in Turkey, were the core issues discussed during his talks with Turkish officials today.
Upon a question regarding imprisoned Turkish MPs, Schulz said he had raised the issue in his talks and urged his interlocutors to look carefully to the conditions under which those parliamentarians were in prison and trials were held.
Commenting on Turkey’s decision to freeze dialogue with the upcoming “Greek Cypriot presidency” of the union, the EP head said that all parties should take into consideration the reality that the “Greek Cypriot administration”, as the Republic of Cyprus is called, is a member of the EU. Schulz added: “I criticize Turkey which says’ I will freeze the negotiation during this period”.
Recalling the Positive Agenda launched between Turkey and EU in recent weeks, Schulz said, “It is up to Turkey to decide if they will suspend themselves from realizing this Positive Agenda in the next six months. I find it hard to believe that it will happen.”
In response to a question on whether he is concern about the freedom of press in Europe, Schulz said he had always criticized restrictions against the media. “Freedom of media is a world-wide problem, not only in one country,” he said.
Pointing to the concerns expressed by Turkish intellectuals regarding the freedom of press in Turkey, Schulz said, “If we raise media concerns in Turkey, it is not to blame Turkey, it is because we raise it whenever, wherever such problems appear.”
