Erdogan: If Any New Criteria Are Put In Front Of Turkey, They Become Our Red Lines

ANKARA - ''If any new criteria which are not among the Copenhagen criteria and not related to EU full membership or approval of negotiation process, are put in front of us then they become our red lines,'' Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said on Friday.
Erdogan replied to questions on a private TV channel.
Asked if there would be red lines in negotiation process, Erdogan said Turkey fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria and completed ''adjustment laws''.
Erdogan said obvious expression of it was seen in EU Progress Report issued on October 6th, and stressed that there were things to be done about implementation of the adjustment laws.
Erdogan expressed readiness of the government and the opposition to display the same will, which they showed about adjustment laws, also in the coming period.
''If any new criteria which are not among the Copenhagen criteria and not related to EU full membership or approval of negotiation process, appear then they become our red lines. We negotiate them with our interlocutors. We ask about the reason of them. We tell them that we are setting off a long journey with them and we are the players of the same team. Players of the same team do not fake each other,'' Erdogan said.
Asked if the Progress Report included parts which he did not expect, Erdogan said there were things in the report which he could call ''some nuances'', and noted that those would be discussed till December 17th.
Explaining what ''the different interpretations'' were, Erdogan said there was ''ambiguity'' about free movement of labor force and suspension of it.
Erdogan said it would create contradiction if EU put forward several criteria that ran counter to the foundation of EU.
''It is impossible for us to say 'yes' to this contradiction. On the one hand you say 'we are becoming a family, we are becoming the players of the same team, we will walk towards the same goals' while on the other hand you say, 'we are opening the doors but it is not an implementation imposed only on Turkey'. When such a step is taken, we sit at the table and negotiate it. If they say, 'this is totally closed', then it contradicts EU's own principles. I suppose that they would not make such a mistake.''
ERDOGAN: ''I DO NOT CONSIDER IT LIKELY AFTER THIS POINT THAT A NEGATIVE DECISION WOULD BE MADE REGARDING START OF NEGOTIATIONS''
Asked what kind of steps would be taken in the negotiation process pertaining to free movement of Turkish workers in EU member countries, Erdogan said a serious unemployment was in question in most of the EU member countries, and noted that, ''Turkey should approach this issue with the understanding that 'I am self-sufficient'. If we are to live together as a family which formed its economic and political values on free movement of labor force and showed compromise of civilizations, and if you try to put into force something about Turkey which you have not imposed on another country, it will not be fair. Rules do not change in games.''
Asked, ''European politicians are conveying political messages to their public with the aim to warm their people towards the issue. How do you evaluate recent statements of French President Jacques Chirac? Were you disappointed? Would he dare to resort to referendum for Turkey's EU membership?'' Erdogan said, ''I do not consider such statements of Chirac as disappointment. I also do not consider them as totally negative statements. He made a different interpretation. I attach more importance to what was said during my bilateral meetings. At this point, I don't take into consideration the statements made through media.''
Stating that every politician would step down in the end, Erdogan said he always got support of Chirac in this process and saw his positive approaches. ''I will meet Chirac on October 26th again.''
''Decision on EU membership of a country is not made through referendum, such a thing is out of question,'' Erdogan stressed. Replying to a question which said, ''Chirac is planning to make an amendment to the French Constitution in order to bring membership issue to referendum Could it drawbacks for Turkey?'', Erdogan said, ''also other members of the EU will display an opposing stance towards it. Also Turkey will display a stance. We are not just onlookers to what is going on. As the Progress Report clearly stated that Turkey met Copenhagen political criteria fully, now that it is the turn of the EU member countries because they should be true to their word.''
Asked what would happen if a decision was not made on December 17th regarding start of full membership negotiations, Erdogan said, ''I don't see it likely. There are two separate groups. One of them says 'we advocate Turkey from now on,'' and the other says, 'we are waiting for the progress report. We will determine the color of our vote in line with the progress report.''
''When we look at the picture, it seems Turkey will not face any difficulty. We meet again the countries where problems may occur. I don't think others would have a different opinion when most of the EU member countries take a positive step,'' Erdogan stressed.

-''WE HAVE NOT YET DISCUSSED WHO WILL BE CHIEF NEGOTIATOR''-
Asked who the negotiator would be if a decision was made on opening of negotiations, Erdogan said they had not yet discussed who would be the chief negotiator.
Erdogan said the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs would be the party responsible of dealing with the negotiations. He said NGOs and businessmen both in Turkey and in the EU should have very close relations.
Asked if Turkey was ready for negotiation process, Erdogan said, ''we are determined to achieve this target and we are determined to do so. 70 percent of our people believe in this. Positive developments will make our people more willing.''
Erdogan said there had been some pessimism among Turkish people because of some delays stemming from the EU in the past, and noted that, ''we are very openly telling them that 'Are you a Christian club or will you be a whole of political values or an address of reconciliation of civilizations?' This question was asked to me in press conference in Council of Europe.''
Erdogan said, ''after I answered this question, the Council President said they absolutely were not a Christian club. They do not accept this now. But earlier this was accepted. In the Intergovernmental Conference, they had insisted very much on the expression that, 'There is Christianity on the basis of EU'. If you have accepted us as candidate country, you can not do this. There are not only Christians but Jews living in EU member countries.''
Asked, ''when you were asked about the issue of suspension of negotiations which was included in the report, you said, 'negotiations can be suspended only when there is military intervention in a democratic country. What did you mean by this?'' Erdogan said expressions like suspension could be in question only when there were serious human rights violations, military coups, and very serious economic difficulties.
Erdogan said suspension was not in question only for Turkey but also for all countries.
Asked how he interpreted open-ended negotiations, Erdogan said, ''it is also a point which we feel sorry about. The EU has not made an open-ended description to any country so far. Experts leave it to the council in the Progress Report. You should set a date for us in the same way as you have told 27 countries to meet the requirements within a specific period of time. We should see what is in front of us.''
Erdogan said there would be differences in foreign capital inflow when Turkey started full membership process, stressing that, ''EU will say 'come' to a Turkey which is standing on its feet.''
Replying to a question that, ''there are statements about the Alevi citizens in the report. Will they dare to make a new minority description?'' Erdogan said, ''the term of minority was described in Turkey after the Lausanne Treaty. It is clear. There is no meaning in searching a new disguise for it. All those are understandings aiming to prepare a basis for separation within the country. It has foreign and local sources.''
Asked if they envisaged a change in Domestic Service Law of Turkish Armed Forces, Erdogan said, ''we have taken all the steps in consultation with the General Staff. We have carried out this civilization project altogether. We will solve this again with the same understanding.''
Asked about the criticisms about political immunity of the parliamentarians, Erdogan said this issue had already been included in their program. ''In the program, we favor to bring a proposal covering all public officials about lifting of immunity.''
(AY-MS) 09.10.2004