Turkey's accession to the EU: Greens favour rapid opening of negotiations

Commenting on the European Commission's recommendation to the European Council on Turkey's accession to the EU presented today in the European Parliament, Daniel Cohn-Bendit, Co-President of the Green/EFA Group, said:

"The Greens welcome the Commission's recommendation to open accession negotiations with Turkey. Negotiations should start soon and must be 'open' rather than 'open-ended', which means that a positive conclusion, though welcome, is not assured. The Council must also be clear that Turkey has applied to become a full member of the Union and that no other arrangement - including a 'special partnership' - is possible. We welcome in this context the Commission's proposal for thorough monitoring of Turkey's progress towards fulfilment of the membership criteria."

"All Human Rights organisations and all Kurdish Organisations in Turkey have pushed for the opening of negotiations and they want Europe to lead tough negotiations. They count on the renewed impulse this would give to the process of democratisation in their country."

"In times of strained relations between the Muslim world and western democracies, the opening of accession talks sends an important signal. With Turkey as an example we can show that a democratic Islam state is possible, and that Islam and democracy are fully compatible."

After the 'miracle of the river Rhine' - the reconciliation between Germany and France, and the 'miracle of the river Oder' - the enlargement of the European Union by the former communist countries, it is time for the 'miracle of the Bosporus': the integration of a majority Muslim country into the EU. I firmly believe this will be a significant contribution to peace in the world."

Monica Frassoni, Co-President of the Green/EFA Group, said:

"We strongly disagree with the hinted possibility of denying Turkish workers the right to reside and move freely within the Union if and when they become citizens. Such a possibility not only goes well beyond the Copenhagen criteria; it infringes on basic human rights that we would certainly not want to deny to our future fellow-citizens."

"We cannot ignore however that negotiations will take a long time and will be difficult - if anything because Turkey's entry into the Union as it exists now would create enormous problems. We should therefore take the opportunity of these negotiations to reopen and relaunch the entire constitutional process."

Cem Özdemir, German Green MEP said:

"The Commission's positive decision today sends a long-awaited signal to Turkey: your reform efforts will be rewarded and you belong in Europe. The three million people of Turkish descent already living in the EU will also hear this message. Therefore, this is also a major incentive for migrants and their families to integrate and become active members of their societies."

"The decision on free movement of people will only become a relevant issue when negotiations have been concluded and accession is on our doorstep. But until that point, both the EU and Turkey will transform greatly - this is what the negotiation process is all about. In ten or 15 years, the basis for discussions will be different, and thus the decision on what transitional arrangements will be necessary - or if they are necessary at all - can only be made at that time."

Source: www.greens-efa.org/cms/pressreleases/dok/101/101030.turkeys_accession_to_the_eu@en.htm