There’s not only Turkey” “

The 25 member states met in Brussels on 16-17 December for the EU summit, to which the Turkish premier was also invited. The summit gave the go ahead to negotiations for the membership of Ankara, but once again a Community emerged that is split on issues of internal and external policy. Moreover, a serious debate on the “frontiers” of Europe and on the European identity was once again deferred. A DECISION WITH DIFFERENT INTERPRETATIONS. The date for the opening of negotiations with Turkey was fixed for 3 October 2005, but the European Council asked the Turkish government for a prior and explicit declaration of its willingness to “extend the Protocol of the customs and trade accord also to Cyprus”, thus recognizing “ de facto the Cypriot Republic”. This at least was the intention of the current President of the EU, Dutch Prime Minister JAN PETER BALKENENDE. His Turkish counterpart RECEP TAYYP ERDOGAN made an immediate response to this demand by saying that the “oral declaration” of his country would be forthcoming before October, though without considering it “a recognition of the Republic of Cyprus”. Verba volant, said the ancient Romans, and never as in the present case has the interpretation of words seemed so much wishful thinking, or even so contradictory. The final document of the summit, however, confirms the date established for the start of negotiations, which will continue for not less than ten years. “The “suspension clause” of the recognition of Cyprus remains in force. “This decision corresponds to what Parliament indicated with the Resolution it approved at Strasbourg on 15 December”, declared the President of the European Parliament, the Spaniard JOSEP BORRELL with satisfaction. “My hope now – he continued – is that Turkey will abide by the commitments it has assumed”. EUROPE DIVIDED, ANKARA UNDER OBSERVATION. The new President of the European Commission, the Portuguese JOSÈ MANUEL DURAO BARROSO, spoke of a “historic decision”: “Historic because while every enlargement has its particular character, that of Turkey, due to its size, tradition, geographic position and potential role as a bridge between Europe and the Islamic world, cannot but be considered an extraordinary case”. Some of the leaders present at Brussels were very sceptical in signing a “blank cheque” for Turkey: they included the premiers of Greece, Cyprus, France and Austria. Perplexities were also expressed by Denmark, Poland and other Eastern European states. The leaders of Great Britain, Germany and Italy, by contrast, are sympathetic to or openly in favour of the start of negotiations. But, altogether, the EU came to the summit divided and this appeared in the final speeches. Some governments have already prospected the need to have recourse to a referendum to ask European electors for their opinion on the future accession of Turkey. Others announced “strict monitoring” of the process of rapprochement between the 25 and the huge nation suspended between Europe and Asia. It will be up to Ankara to demonstrate its willingness to respect the Copenhagen criteria, a necessary precondition for EU accession, through the reinforcement of the rule of law, respect for human rights, minorities and religious freedom, and greater control over the armed forces. The spotlight will especially remain fixed on the solution of the problem of Cyprus. This is a condition that, if it is not respected, will block the start of negotiations in the autumn of next year or defer their conclusion sine die. GO AHEAD TO ROMANIA AND BULGARIA: EU ACCESSION IN 2007. During the summit various other questions were tackled. The membership of Bulgaria and Romania was fixed for 1st January 2007. As for Croatia, the OK to negotiations ought to be given next spring, so long as the Balkan country “continues its collaboration with the International Court in The Hague”. Other issues discussed included a reform of the Stability and Growth Pact, although every decision on this has been deferred. The summit “assured its support to the UNO and its secretary”, who was present in Brussels, with regard to its efforts “to extend peace and democracy” in each continent, and “combat the scourges of famine and Aids”. As regards the reform of the UN Security Council, KOFI ANNAN explained that “fair decisions will be taken, respectful of the interests of all the regions of the world”. He made no comment on the proposal to assign a “single seat” to the EU. The summit, which marks the end of the six months’ Dutch Presidency of the EU – Luxembourg will assume the helm from 1st January – also tackled the question of the financial prospects for 2007-2013 and confirmed the “political will” to renounce the embargo on arms sales to China, imposed after the repression following the Tien An Men protests in 1989. ———————————————————————————————————– Sir Europa (English) N.ro assoluto : 1351 N.ro relativo : 91 Data pubblicazione : 22/12/2004