MILLIYET- Columnist Fikret Bila writes on the EU stance towards Turkey’s admittance to the Union. A summary of his column is as follows:
Does Turkey’s admittance to the EU depend on its abolition of the death penalty? That’s not the only obstacle before Turkey’s entering the EU. It is only one of the conditions. Furthermore, Turkey has not carried out death penalty for 18 years now. Lifting capital punishment is not a decision which can be indexed to the EU. Turkey’s admittance to the EU is being evaluated only through Turkey’s perspective. Everyone is being asked if they are in favor of or against the EU, but the problem is not as simple as that. As being in favor of the EU does not help to solve the problem, we must consider the other side of the coin. How does the European Union view Turkey? The conditions it is requiring of Turkey not to take it in as a member but only to begin negotiations are striking examples of double standards. Europe is asking that we meet conditions it doesn’t require of other countries for full membership just so we can begin our accession negotiations. It is enough to take a glance at the Cyprus and terrorism issues over which Turkey is sensitive. The European Union has already announced that it will take the Greek Cypriot administration into the organization even if a joint solution is not reached on the island. Following such an announcement, the Greek Cypriot side did not have to reach an agreement with the Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC). In fact, the Greek Cypriots are pursing a policy of not reaching an agreement. On terrorism, the sincerity of the EU in responding to Turkey’s expectations is another point for discussion. Can the EU be regarded as meeting Turkey’s expectations by at long last taking the PKK into the terrorist organizations list only after it changed its name? The EU, which is continually pressuring Turkey, has to quit applying double standards, stop asking for conditions it is not requiring of other countries, and accept that Ankara is exerting great efforts to fulfill her obligations. The EU’s views regarding Turkey should be discussed as much as Turkey’s opinions about the EU.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION