FRANKFURT, Dec 14 (AFP) - German ex-chancellor Helmut Kohl has blasted European Union leaders for making promises to Turkey they know they will not have to keep.
He accused them of dishonesty in promising eventual EU membership to Turkey, knowing that the Union does not have the capacity for such an enlargement and that they do not have public support.
Certain leaders, Kohl said in remarks to be published in the daily Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung Wednesday, were being "unjust and dishonest" vis-a-vis Turkey "when they promise it membership in the European Union, knowing full well that they will not have to keep their word and also that they will not have the approval of their peoples."
From a summary of the article released Tuesday, it appeared that Kohl's criticism was directed particularly at French President Jacques Chirac and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, who were expected to support Turkish membership at a EU summit meeting in Brussels later next weekend.
Kohl said Schroeder hoped to win the support of two million people of Turkish origin living in Germany because "he is looking above all to win elections."
But a transition period for Turkish membership would last at least 15 years, and those making the promises today will no longer be in power when it comes time to keep them, Kohl said.
Kohl added that he did not think that Turkey would be in a position to meet the 1993 Copenhagen criteria for entry, which requires candidate countries to guarantee democracy and the rule of law, respect human and minority rights, and create a market economy.
The former chancellor said that the 25-member EU will be at the limit of its powers to absorb new members following the scheduled 2007 entry of Bulgaria and Romania, and perhaps some of the Balkan states.
12/14/2004 19:22 GMT - AFP