Turkish Forum

Category: EU Members

European Council decided to open accession negotiations with Turkey on 17 Dec. 2004

  • Most EU aid ‘goes to richer nations’

    Most EU aid ‘goes to richer nations’

    More than half of Europe’s development aid budget is going to “relatively rich” countries like Turkey and Serbia, British MPs have warned.

    The committee says the UK must put pressure on Europe to reform its aid system
    The committee says the UK must put pressure on Europe to reform its aid system

    The International Development Committee said the situation “could devalue the concept of aid” and called on the UK government to demand change.

    The UK gave £1.23 billion in aid via the EU in 2010.

    But EU commissioner Andris Piebalgs said it was “not true” to suggest aid is going to the wrong people.

    International Development Secretary Andrew Mitchell said the EU was “already reforming the way it spends aid, making it more transparent, results-focused and targeted at the poorest people”.

    The committee reveals that only 46% of the UK contribution to EU aid for developing countries goes to low-income states – a figure it calls “unacceptable”.

    The rest, it says, goes to “middle-income” states, adding: “Turkey has consistently been in the top five recipients of European Commission aid (£182 million in 2010) as has Serbia (£178 million in 2010).”

    The MPs also criticised the administrative bill for the EU programme, pointing out they were twice as high as the Department for International Development’s own costs. The European Commission estimate administrative costs in 2009 were 5.4%.

    EU aid for Turkey this year totals 860.2m euros (£703m; $1.14bn) and for Serbia it is 202m euros. In the 2007-2013 funding period the total for countries in the queue to join the EU is 11.5bn euros.

    ‘Undermine support’

    The MPs’ committee urged the UK government to challenge the definition of official development assistance (ODA), through which the relevant EU aid is spent.

    “It appears to be being used as a way of fudging the figures to help other European countries meet the (internationally agreed) target for 0.7% of GDP to be given as aid,” chairman and Liberal Democrat MP Malcolm Bruce said.

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    If aid is not about helping the poorest then it is not worthy of the name”

    Claire Godfrey Oxfam policy adviser

    But commissioner Piebalgs said supporting developing countries was an “important part” of the EU’s work and delivered separately to those “clearly aimed at fighting poverty”.

    “I have proposed to concentrate EU aid in the future to the poorest countries in the world, to make sure our money goes to the most in need and where it makes a real difference,” the commissioner added.

    “The MPs said Mr Mitchell had argued “it would take forever and be difficult” to change the definition of ODA so as to exclude relatively wealthy countries.

    “We do not accept this: the government should be bolder and less risk averse by tackling the criteria for ODA so that more funding goes to the world’s poorest people and the poorest countries, and less to the European neighbourhood,” Mr Bruce said.

    “Failure to do this may undermine the UK public’s support for EU institutions.”

    Mr Bruce added: “British taxpayers want the aid they give to go to the places where it can make the most difference, to countries where millions of people are getting by on less than a pound a day.

    “Giving aid to relatively rich countries like Turkey could devalue the concept of aid.”

    ‘Relentless pressure’

    Oxfam policy adviser Claire Godfrey said the organisation fully supported the call for aid to be better targeted.

    “If aid is not about helping the poorest then it is not worthy of the name,” she said. “But reopening the definition of ODA is not necessary and could be counter-productive.”

    She added: “The UK government should support an increase in EU aid, which this report shows is delivering improved results.”

    Mr Mitchell backed the report’s central message, saying: “Following relentless pressure from the coalition government, the EU is already reforming the way it spends aid, making it more transparent, results-focused and targeted at the poorest people.”

    But he defended aid for Turkey, insisting: “Supporting Turkish accession to the EU has been the policy of successive British governments and is firmly in the national interest.”

    Commissioner Piebalgs said EU aid had “pulled millions of people out of poverty”, adding: “I know there are some aid sceptics who would rather see money spent elsewhere.”

    via BBC News – Most EU aid ‘goes to richer nations’ – MPs.

  • Biden criticizes EU stance on Turkey

    Biden criticizes EU stance on Turkey

    WASHINGTON — US Vice President Joe Biden criticized the European Union Friday for not fully embracing Turkey, stressing the “inordinate influence” of a country that is a close American ally.

    Biden, at a fund-raising event for President Barack Obama’s re-election campaign, told members of the Turkish-American community that Ankara has been “one of our most valuable and proudest allies.”

    Biden said he and Obama have been “very, very critical of some of our European allies for not fully embracing Turkey in the economic union, for not fully embracing Turkey as part of Europe.

    “The way we look at Turkey is, it’s the gateway, it’s the hinge between the East and West. It has inordinate influence,” he said.

    He said the Obama administration and Turkey’s Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan were “on the same page with respect to Syria.”

    On the Arab democracy movements, Biden said, “No one knows whether that spring will turn to winter tomorrow. Nobody knows exactly how that’s going to go. But with the strong leadership of Turkey we are reassured. There’s nothing we do that we don’t coordinate.”

    Turkey’s minister of European affairs, Egemen Bagis, said on April 5 that European officials were creating difficulties for Turkey’s bid for EU membership but would not succeed.

    “No country faces as many impediments, as many challenges and difficulties as my country” in its bid for EU membership, Bagis said in Bucharest, citing, among others, visa requirements and a slow negotiation process.

    “Those politicians around Europe who think that by making these difficulties they can make Turkey go away are dead wrong,” he said.

    The talks have stalled over problems relating to EU member Cyprus, whose northern third was invaded and occupied by Turkey in 1974, and countries such as Austria, France and Germany that are reluctant to grant full membership.

    via AFP: Biden criticizes EU stance on Turkey.

  • Turkey calls on EU to issue visa-free travel

    Turkey calls on EU to issue visa-free travel

    NE27 13 7

    Turkey’s European Union Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, left, and EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule | BELGA PHOTO BERNAL REVERT

    Turkey’s European Union Minister and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis recently called on EU executives and member states to lift visa procedures for its citizens. He said that such a move should be made to implement decisions the European Court of Justice and national courts made in line with Turkish citizens, and lift visa procedures for Turkish citizens, Zaman reported. Bagis has sent letters to European commissioners and spokespeople, members of European Parliament as well as members of non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and think-tank organisations and European media.

    The call was sent to EU Enlargement Commissioner Stefan Fule, Home Affairs Commissioner Cecilia Malmstrom, European Parliament President Martin Schulz and Foreign Minister Villy Sovndal of Denmark, the rotating president of the European Council. The letter reflects Turkish disappointment with the EU not paving the way for visa-free travel of Turkish citizens, despite the country meeting the required criteria. A key meeting will be held on 26 April where Turkish and European officials will again discuss the matter.

    “The current Schengen visa regime against Turkish citizens constitutes an obstacle to the strengthening of relations between Turkish people and the peoples of the EU, as it prevents people-to-people contact, which is indispensable for the EU accession process,” Bagis’ statement read. Suggesting that Turkey’s economic achievement in the last decade made the current visa regime redundant, Bagis said that EU countries, which are witnessing an economic crisis would benefit from the commercial, cultural, educational and touristic visits of Turkish citizens, which would be further enabled by the lifting of the visa requirement. Bagis said visa obligation also prevented Turkish NGOs and universities as well as young people from making use of EU funds and projects. Long visa procedures harmed Turkish businessmen from enjoying a fair competitive atmosphere in the Customs Union, Bagis said. Bagis said courts of many EU member states, including Germany and the Netherlands, had been making decisions that recognised visa liberation for Turkish citizens, and Turkish citizens could travel to Germany on a touristic visit without any visa under those court decisions.

    via Turkey calls on EU to issue visa-free travel | New Europe.

  • Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul Criticizes Geert Wilders

    Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul Criticizes Geert Wilders

    Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul is arriving this week in The Netherlands for a three day visit in commemoration of 400 years of relations between the two countries.

    Geert WildersToday he sent a message to the Hon. Geert Wilders of the Freedom Party (the PVV) junior member of the ruling Dutch coalition. The message: Wilders is an “extreme voice’. Notwithstanding that remark, Gul was still prepared to shake Wilders’ hand if an encounter occurred during his ceremonial visit to Holland. A Radio Netherlands news article, “Turkish President Calls Wilders an Islamophobe” citing an interview with Gul in De Telegraafnewspaper noted his concerns about Wilders:

    President Gül said, “Mr. Wilders represents an extreme voice, which feeds radicals.”

    He continued, saying because of Wilders “a negative us-against-them climate is developing in the whole of Europe, which is laying the foundation for ethnic religious discrimination.”

    Wilders has according to the Radio Netherlands report indicated months ago that Gul was not welcome in the Netherlands, despite the fact that the Dutch government had issued an invitation.

    Perhaps that was because the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government of which Gul is a leader would not accept a delegation of Dutch parliamentarians that included Wilders in 2010. As the Radio Netherlands article noted:

    At the time, a Turkish spokesperson said that Wilders was “such a fascist that besides in Turkey, he would not be welcome in other European capitals.”

    Wilders if anything is not fearful of Islam, as Gül’s remarks in the de Telegraaf interview imply. Wilders is not against Muslims, but rather against the Islamic doctrine that denies basic civil and human rights to women, those who leave the faith by personal choice and denigrates unbelievers, such as Jews, Christians, Hindus and Buddhists. Moreover, Wilders is a proponent of a US style First Amendment for The Netherlands and the EU that upholds the right to criticize any religion under the doctrine of free speech. Turkey and the other 56 members of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation are a virtual Caliphate seeking to impose Blasphemy laws on the Westunder the guise of allegedly combating intolerance of religions to silence any criticism of Islamic doctrine and totalitarian Shariah.

    Gul has been frequently cited as a prominent Turkish adherent to the doctrine of billionaire ex-patriate Sheikh Muhammed Fehtuleh Gulen,a resident in the US, who some hold as “the world’s most dangerous Islamist.” Gulen has created an international educational indoctrination system which propounds the return of Turkish hegemony in a rising Caliphate. A new Caliphate to replace the one that ended with the demise of the Ottoman Empire and creation of the modern secular Republic of Turkey under Kemal Ataturk in 1923. A secular republic that President Gul and PM Recep Erdogan of the ruling AKP party rejected. Instead the AKP leaders are most emphatic that Turkey should be ruled by Islamic doctrine. After all Erdogan has beenquoted saying: “there is no moderate or immoderate Islam, Islam is Islam”.

    As Wilders noted in response to today’s De Telegraaf interview with Gul:

    . . . that President Gül’s comments do not bother him. “Turkish humor: Christian-teaser, Kurd-basher, Hamas-friend and Islamist Gül complaining about tolerance.”

    via Turkey’s President Abdullah Gul Criticizes Geert Wilders | Red County.

  • Greek and Turkish Debate Over Origins of “Koulouri”/”Simit”

    Greek and Turkish Debate Over Origins of “Koulouri”/”Simit”

    It all started when US President Barack Obama called the “baklava” dessert “Greek” in a ceremony which took place in the White House for the March 25th National Anniversary. His statement caused a mini cultural crisis between neighboring countries.

    As a national “retaliation,” the İstanbul Simit Tradesmen Chamber launched a process to get an international patent for the number one Turkish street food, the “simit” as Turks call it, same as our “koulouri.”

    İstanbul Simit Tradesmen Chamber Chairman Zeki Sami Özdemir on Tuesday, April 3, filed a petition with the İstanbul Union of Craftsmen and Artisans’ Chambers (İSTESOB) and called on the chamber to take action and the necessary steps to protect Turkey’s national food, the simit.

    The petition came after US President Barack Obama said he admired the taste of “Greek baklava,” which has been regarded by the Turks and the Greeks as their traditional dessert for centuries. It is widely acknowledged that “baklava” has its origins in Central Asia. Nevertheless the Turkish ISTESOB had to respond to the “inappropriate” public mistake of Obama.

    “We will hold on to our simit and won’t allow Greeks to grab our simit too,” İSTESOB Chairman Faik Yılmaz said, adding that Greeks have been presenting Turkish traditional foods as their own for centuries.

    “The simit is one of the most widely consumed food products in Turkey. Foreigners now know it as the national food of Turks. It sometimes serves as breakfast and even lunch for both the rich and the poor,” added Zeki Sami Özdemir.

    via Greek and Turkish Debate Over Origins of “Koulouri”/”Simit” | Greek Reporter Europe.

  • Cyprus – a litmus test for Turkey

    Cyprus – a litmus test for Turkey

    Famagusta Gazette 9 April 2012

    By Robert Ellis

    RobertEllisSweden’s Minister for International Cooperation Development, Gunilla Carlsson, has confirmed in a joint article together with Turkey’s Minister for EU Affairs, Egemen Bagis, Sweden’s full support for Turkey’s bid for EU membership.

    This comes as no surprise, as four years ago Sweden’s Minister of Foreign Affairs, Carl Bildt, declared that “the AKP government is made up of profound European reformers”.

    What was also predictable was Ms. Carlsson’s statement at the round table meeting with Mr. Bagis that it was unacceptable to stall Turkey’s accession negotiations because of bilateral issues that had nothing to do with the EU itself. This was evidently a reference to the unresolved Cyprus dispute.

    When Sweden was term president of the EU in the second half of 2009, the draft of the General Affairs Council conclusions in November noted that “bilateral issues” should not hold up the accession process but needed to be resolved by the parties concerned “bearing in mind the overall EU interests”.

    In effect, this relegated the Cyprus issue to the level of the border dispute between Croatia and Slovenia, but because of opposition from other EU member states the paragraph was dropped from the Council’s conclusions.

    This attempt to sweep the issue under the carpet is reminiscent of British Prime Minister Neville Chamberlain’s reference to the Sudetenland conflict in 1938 as “a quarrel in a faraway country between people of whom we know nothing”.

    What is notable is that Ms. Carlsson spoke of a struggle to embrace deeply owned common values, as this is precisely the issue that is at stake in Cyprus. In effect, Cyprus can be considered a litmus test as to whether it is possible for two ethnic communities to coexist inside the same national framework, and, on a larger scale, whether Turkey can fit into the European Union.

    Prime Minister Erdogan has accused the European Union of being “a Christian club” but President Gül on his first official visit to Cyprus in September 2007 stated “There are two realities on Cyprus, two democracies, two states, two languages, two religions”, which are the same arguments advanced by opponents of Turkey’s EU membership.

    Turkey’s invasion and occupation of northern Cyprus in 1974 cemented the division of the two communities but also opened a shameful chapter of Turkish history.

    The European Commission of Human Rights in its 1976 report documented the conduct of the invasion forces and the Committee on Missing Persons is working to establish the fate of 502 Turkish Cypriots and 1,493 Greek Cypriots missing after the intercommunal fighting in 1963-4 and the Turkish invasion.

    The US Helsinki Commission in its 2009 report on the destruction of cultural property in northern Cyprus documented that 500 Orthodox churches or chapels have been pillaged, demolished or vandalized and 15,000 paintings have disappeared.

    Furthermore, the US Commission on International Religious Freedom (USCIRF) has in its 2012 report recommended that Turkey be designated a “country of particular concern” notwithstanding its importance as a strategic partner.

    The USCIRF delegation found three main issues in northern Cyprus, including the inability of Orthodox Christians to hold services at their places of worship and the disrepair of churches and cemeteries as well as the preservation of religious heritage.

    Egemen Bagis is surely disingenuous when he at the meeting with the Swedish minister criticized the EU for blocking most of Turkey’s accession talks. As he remarked, “They want us to do our homework without actually telling us what our homework is.”

    Even to Mr Bagis, the solution must be apparent. In 2006 the EU Council froze negotiations on eight chapters because Turkey refused to honour its commitment according to the Additional Protocol and extend the customs union to the Republic of Cyprus. Consequently, a solution to the conflict would remove the main stumbling block to Turkey’s accession process and serve to heal the wounds of the past.

    By virtue of its strategic position, and now because of the gas deposits in its Exclusive Economic Zone, Cyprus is a key player in the eastern Mediterranean, and therefore it was short-sighted of Turkey not to invite Cyprus to the Syria meeting in Istanbul on 1 April.

    Once again, the European Parliament has called on Turkey to begin withdrawing its forces from Cyprus, to transfer Famagusta to the UN and for the port of Famagusta to be opened under EU supervision, but this call will no doubt fall on deaf ears. Turkey’s threat to boycott Cyprus’ EU Presidency is also counter-productive.

    As the European Parliament concluded in its resolution on Turkey’s 2011 Progress Report, the interdependence between the European Union and Turkey can only produce positive results if it is framed in a context of mutual commitment.

    (Robert Ellis is a regular commentator on Turkish affairs in the Danish and international press.)

    via Cyprus – a litmus test for Turkey | EuropeNews.