MILLIYET- Columnist Sami Kohen comments on Turkey’s efforts to get a date for European Union membership negotiations. A summary of his column is as follows:
Defying the latest upheavals in domestic politics, Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit gave the order two days ago to the relevant state offices for ‘speedy harmonization with the European Union,’ making Ankara’s determination concerning the issue crystal clear. The circular Ecevit issued requests that harmonization with the EU vis-a-vis regulations be ensured, laws passed this summer be implemented by Nov. 15, and draft regulations reach his desk by Oct. 15. Now, clearly after Parliament interrupted its recess to hurriedly pass the EU reform package, steps towards implementation have not been taken, and meanwhile there have been serious disagreements among the coalition partners on this issue. As a matter of fact, the crisis resulting from the Nationalist Action Party’s (MHP) attempts to block the ‘EU reform laws’ have caused Turkey’s lack of action in this area. Ecevit’s taking the initiative and ordering work in this field to be accelerated, with a definite timetable, is most welcome.
Turkey’s scope of action to obtain a date for EU membership negotiations gets narrower with each passing day. The EU’s Progress Report will be prepared on Oct. 9, a week earlier than originally scheduled. The European Council will convene on Nov. 24 in Brussels and the Copenhagen summit will begin on Dec. 12, where the ‘big decision’ on Turkey will be hashed out. Therefore it’s critically important for Turkey to complete the legal regulations during this narrow window of opportunity and start to particularly implement the elements of the Copenhagen criteria. Officials dealing closely with Turkey’s EU membership bid are well aware of this need, and they emphasize it at every opportunity. However, the hesitation, and even resistance, they show in the ‘practical stage’ is wasting time as well as raising suspicions both in Turkey and abroad whether it really intents to comply with these necessities. At the outset, there was an impression that all the work would be completed and the EU would give a date for membership talks after Parliament approved the reform package. However, implementing the laws is just as important as Parliament passing them. This is not an additional ‘condition,’ but really just part of a condition. The developments since the laws’ passage on Aug. 3 show that there are clashing wavelengths on the issue and that some officials, not pleased with the prospect of implementing the reforms, intend to exploit loopholes in the laws. Fortunately, now that Ecevit has ordered work for EU harmonization be accelerated, Ankara has shown its determination to overcome these delays.
The EU is expected to take this into consideration. In other words, the EU, which often expresses its pleasure with Turkey’s quick passage of reforms, now should see Ankara’s desire to implement them, and it should trust Turkey and give it a chance. We hope that EU officials won’t find it necessary to wait months to see the implementation. Of course it would be best for Turkey if a date for negotiations was given in December or if a binding and clear engagement was taken on this issue. In addition, it would be good for Turkey to prepare itself for the prospect of not getting a date for negotiations at the Copenhagen summit. Since the expectation of receiving such a date has recently received much emphasis in official declarations, the public has gotten the impression that if Turkey can’t receive a date in Copenhagen, then Turkey won’t be an EU member. However, this date could also be given next year. In other words, Copenhagen isn’t the ‘last stop.’ Therefore Turkey should make wise use of the next two months. As Ecevit stated, we should quickly complete the necessary work without putting undue emphasis on the Copenhagen summit.”
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION