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Schröder Satisfied with Historic EU Agreement on Start of Membership Talks with Turkey
The leaders of the 25 European Union member states have agreed unanimously to open accession talks with Turkey on October 3, 2005, reaching the historic decision on December 17 in Brussels after intense negotiations late into the previous night and up to the afternoon session. Leaders meeting at the EU summit agreed on the final text of a statement after Turkey confirmed that it is ready to sign before the negotiations begin an extension of an existing bilateral agreement between Turkey and the EU that would cover the ten new member states, including Cyprus. German Chancellor Gerhard Schröder called the solution satisfying: “The goal is clearly defined, there is a date and alternatives were not formulated.” Referring to the difficult compromise and the way ahead, Schröder said, “we have climbed over the steep mountain and the trail ahead of us now is well-marked through flat terrain.” The EU has made history, Jan Peter Balkenende, Dutch Prime Minister and President of the European Council said. Turkey has grasped the hand that the EU extended to it, he said. The doors to the EU have been thrown open for Turkey. Main Points of the Decision
The European leaders understand that by signing the expanded bilateral customs agreement between Turkey and the EU, Turkey would thereby be giving de facto recognition to the government of Cyprus. The EU member state Cyprus so far has not been recognized by Turkey, while the Northern Republic of Cyprus is only recognized by Ankara but internationally by no other state. Support and Controversy In the days leading up to the European Council’s decision, both the European Commission and the European Parliament voiced support for the opening of talks with Turkey, by large majorities on both the left and right. The German Bundestag also voted on December 16 in favor of the EU beginning accession negotiations with Turkey. However, the issue has been contentious. In the Bundestag, the Red-Green government coalition supported the measure, but the conservative Christian Democrat / Christian Social and Free Democrat factions opposed it. From the point of view of CDU Chairman Angela Merkel, Turkey has not fulfilled the criteria for the start of negotiations. Merkel reiterated the CDU position of supporting only a “privileged partnership” for Turkey with the EU. Former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl, CDU, also voiced criticism, saying it is unfair, dishonest and cynical for European leaders to encourage Turkey now. These leaders won’t be in office by the time Turkey fulfills the necessary requirements for membership, Kohl said in an interview with the conservative newspaper Frankfurter Allgemeine. Long History of German Support for Turkey In supporting the opening of accession talks with Turkey, Chancellor Schröder is in line within the foreign policy continuum of all previous German governments since Konrad Adenauer’s. Chancellor Schröder has repeatedly pointed out that for 40 years, the opening of accession talks has been promised to Turkey if the country fulfilled the political criteria. It would mean an outstanding increase in stability for the Middle East, and for all of Europe as well, if a non-fundamentalist Islam were successfully united with the values of European enlightenment. Turkey has had an association agreement with the predecessor of the European Union, the European Economic Union, and has been a NATO member since 1952. December 17, 2004 Links
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