DUBLIN - Ireland, which has taken over European Union (EU) Term Presidency as of the beginning of 2004, said on Tuesday that Turkey should be treated as equally as other European Union (EU) candidate countries when the EU was deciding on Turkey's full membership.
Irish State Minister for European Affairs Dick Roche told A.A that the Union will contradict itself if it does not apply Copenhagen criteria to Turkey equally with other candidate countries.
Roche recalled that EU would decide on whether or not to open full membership negotiations with Turkey in line with the report of European Commission during term presidency of the Netherlands at the end of 2004.
Commenting on possibility of an EU decision to start full membership negotiations with Turkey, Roche refrained from mentioning any percentage or possibility.
Roche said that criteria in front of Turkey were definite and listed some of criteria as settlement of democracy, rule of law, and respect to minorities.
Irish people who had read books about birth of modern Turkey knew role of Kemal Ataturk, the Founder of Turkish Republic, and how progressive and brave decisions were taken, Roche noted. Roche said that those decisions were indisputable.
They were aware of and appreciated recent Turkish government's immense efforts on the road to EU, Roche stated.
Roche said that they could see that Turkish people attached great importance to EU membership process and closely followed the developments.
But, Roche noted, the decision on opening of negotiations with Turkey would be taken in line with the report of the Commission, not by current term president Ireland.
Roche pointed out that decision on Turkey would be made by an objective evaluation, not by prejudices.
EU had put forth Copenhagen criteria and stated that only countries which had met those criteria would become a full member, Roche said.
Roche stated that if Turkey fulfilled those criteria, it should be accepted as full member.
Nobody could put forth those criteria to be unbiased and then exclude one country due to biased reasons, Roche said.
Roche pointed out that one country was either meeting or not meeting those criteria. Those criteria should be applied to everybody equally, Roche stressed. Roche said that otherwise, the equality they were talking about would be spoiled by themselves.
Asked how Turkey was perceived in EU and if religious, cultural, demographical and geographical dimensions were considered an obstacle before Turkey's membership, Roche said that Turkey was a big country and maybe this could be seen as a problem.
But, Roche noted, religious difference was not a big problem.
Roche stated that when he talked to his colleagues in the EU, he saw that his colleagues were open-minded about Turkey and were willing to be equal to Turkey. Expressing thought that Turkish people might not be aware of that attitude, Roche said that some voiced views about where geographical borders of EU should end during discussions in the Union.
Roche stated that it was normal for people to have their own views as long as those views were not based on prejudice.
However, he was aware of existence of another concern in the Union, Roche said.
Roche noted that everybody has concerns over possible effects of a negative decision on Turkey's membership if EU takes such a decision.
Turkey has many good allies in the EU and they are closer to Turkey than Ireland due to historical reasons, Roche pointed out.
Roche said that there was geographical distance between Ireland and Turkey, but Ireland did not have any prejudice about Turks.
Many Turkish companies were working in his electoral zone, Roche stated.
Roche said that there was a Turkish company which had undertaken highway construction projects in Ireland and it was an esteemed company.
Ireland was an island country which had experienced division for centuries and which knew difficulties of that problem well, Roche noted.
Roche said that therefore, his country could understand well the difficulty in reaching a solution in Cyprus.
When asked, ''according to the evaluation of North Ireland's Protestant parliamentarian John Taylor, Irish Republic considers itself as having the same status with Greek Cypriots in Cyprus. Both of them want to seize north of island. Is this a right evaluation?'' Dick Roche said that was not a valid evaluation for them, noting that it did not have validity historically.
Roche said it was not right to claim that their point of view toward Turkey was influenced by their point of view toward North Ireland.
Roche said they had made an amendment to their Constitution a few years ago and accepted that consent of people was important for unification. Roche said as a Republican he was waiting eagerly for unification of people in the north and the south on Irish island, however that this decision should be taken by people themselves.
He said people having different religion and cultural traditions should primarily want unification themselves, noting that it was not possible to force people do something which they did not want. Roche said division in Cyprus had its own history, yet that the situation there was different. He said that they went into EU wholeheartedly as it facilitated solution of such kind of divisions, and created an air of peace and harmonization among peoples and nations.
Stating that elections had taken place in Northern Cyprus and that a new government was about to be formed, and that people was willing for solution, Roche said EU wanted solution of Cyprus question till May 1 with active support of Turkey. He said there was still opportunity for solution on the island although time gets shorter. He added that reaching a solution would create a more appropriate political atmosphere also for Turkey's full membership.
Roche said in case a solution could not be found and in case Greek Cypriots enter the EU unilaterally, he did not think that they would be in an effort to affect relations with Turkey negatively. He said the essential philosophy of the EU was to unify peoples. Roche said some member countries may have very tough views on some specific issues, but that they should abide by the fundamental view of the EU. If you become a member to the EU to use your position negatively, you will soon realize that there are other members who do not share your views, he added.
When asked whether or not the government would be in a difficult situation if Turkey makes very big concessions on Cyprus but could not get a positive decision with regard to its full membership negotiations at the end of 2004, Roche said policy is the art of fulfilling the things that are possible stating that he thought of the same things while saying that.
Roche said government has the administration in Turkey and that the government is in administration with the authority given by the people. He said the situation which the Turkish government is in was very difficult and that they understood it. Government of a country knows the best the dynamics and own realities of that country, Roche said, stating that Turkey itself would take the decision about the pace of steps that should be taken on Cyprus.
Roche said they did not want to interfere in Cyprus issue yet noted that it would be pleasing to find a solution in Cyprus. Roche expressed belief that a solution would be reached soon.
Pointing out that it was wrong to see the EU as an element trying to make Turkey do what it wants and get very big concessions, adding that it was normal that there were people in Turkey looking with suspicion to EU.
Roche said there were still people in Ireland looking with suspicion to the EU although they got very big support from the EU for years. He said some Irish people still evaluated the EU as an 30-year old plot against Ireland, stating that they respected also to their views.
(BRC-AY-AÖ) 06.01.2004