Emie, the French ambassador in Ankara, said that the EU would stand with Turkey on the fight against PKK since nothing could justify violence.
Wednesday, 29 October 2008 07:53
The ambassador of France, holding the rotating presidency of the European Union (EU), reaffirmed on Tuesday the union’s support for Turkey’s fight against PKK violence.
Bernard Emie, the French ambassador in Ankara, said that the EU would stand with Turkey on the fight against PKK since nothing could justify violence.
“The PKK is for all of us a terrorist organization and is treated accordingly in all our countries,” Emie said during a luncheon he hosted in honor of Turkey’s Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, who is also the chief negotiator for the EU.
Emie said that the EU was very much confident that the Turkish government would deal with that issue (terrorism) with the arms of democracy.
On the crisis in Caucasus, Emie said that the French presidency of the EU supported Turkey’s initiatives (the Turkish idea of a platform for cooperation and stability in the Caucasus and President Abdullah Gul’s trip to Yerevan on September 6).
Emie said that there was yet much that remained to be done to restore the full stability of the region and the EU presidency had decided to work hand in hand.
Referring to Turkey’s EU membership bid, the ambassador said that the French presidency was holding its course and keeping its promises.
“I am glad that Turkish authorities acknowledged the fact that France’s pledge of a neutral, objective and impartial presidency towards Turkey was kept,” Emie said.
Emie expressed belief that the draft for the national program on integration of the acquis had the potential to become an important roadmap for the reforms that still needed to be done.
“We also very much hope that some further progress will be registered in terms of freedom of expression,” the ambassador said.
Emie also said that the French presidency was doing its utmost to carry on, with all the European partners, the preparatory work for the opening of new chapters.
“We very much hope that the full involvement of the Turkish side that we have witnessed in the past weeks, under your leadership, will continue to prevail so that we should be in a position to open two chapters,” the French ambassador said.
Emie expressed hope that the talks held in Cyprus would yield results some time soon, and said that the EU stood ready to assist and to continue to bring its direct assistance to the Turkish Cypriots that were also members of the European family.
The French ambassador also congratulated Turkey on its election as a non-permanent member of the United Nations (UN) Security Council for the term 2009-2010.
AA
Source: www.worldbulletin.net, 29 October 2008