Two chapters opened in Turkey's EU talks, but future looks gloomy

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Two chapters opened in Turkeys EU talks, but future looks gloomy
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 17, 2008 09:30

The chapters on "company law" and "intellectual property law" officially opened to negotiation on Tuesday at the 5th Turkey-EU Intergovernmental Conference in Luxembourg, bringing the number of policy areas Turkey has opened since it began accession talks in 2005 to eight. However, 15 of 35 chapters have been suspended for political reasons, as Turkey urged France on Tuesday to be a fair negotiator. (UPDATED)

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Although the opening of two new chapters signals progress in membership negotiations, 15 of 35 chapters remain suspended. The EU had suspended eight chapters in December 2006 due to Turkey's refusal to open its ports to Greek Cypriot vessels before the Union ends its isolation of Turkish Cypriots.

 

France vetoed the opening of the remaining chapters on the grounds that they are "directly related" to membership. France has been defending the view that Turkey should be given some kind of statute shorter than accession, an attitude which harms the principle of pacta sunt servanda.

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However, three more chapters are expected to be opened before the French EU presidency ends on December 31, a gesture from Paris to show that it does not want to leave Turkey out in cold.

 

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan, who attended the conference, urged Paris on Tuesday to conduct entry talks in a fair and open manner at the talks with EU officials. 

 

"We believe that our EU accession process will be further advanced during the French presidency," Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan told reporters after talks with EU officials.

 

He said Turkey was ready now, thanks to adopted reforms, to further widen negotiations in key economic policy areas that go to the heart of membership, notably participating in the EU's barrier-free single market.

 

"Our expectation from the EU side is to honor its commitments to Turkey ... to proceed in a fair and sustainable manner," Babacan said. "We expect that the French presidency will be a fair, impartial and transparent presidency term. Turkey will expect to join the union as an equal partner with all the rights and obligations this would imply."

 

 

FRANCE'S POSITION

French President Nicolas Sarkozy is against Turkey joining the 27-nation bloc, and French diplomats have managed to stall negotiations in some policy areas that directly concern its accession into the EU.

 

Sarkozy has suggested Turkey be offered a special partnership instead of full membership. France is wary of letting a relatively poor and overwhelmingly Muslim nation of more than 70 million people into the EU.

 

French lawmakers, however, are moving to reject a law requiring a referendum in France on countries that want to join the EU - a condition never before imposed on an EU candidate.

 

Slovenian Foreign Minister Dimitrij Rupel, whose country currently holds the EU presidency, said the two sides opened talks Tuesday in intellectual property rights law and company law.

 

EU officials said talks in the two areas would help fight counterfeit goods and bring into line Turkish legislation with EU standards on mergers and related business rules. "This is going to be a long process, but hopefully not too long," Rupel said.

 

He urged Babacan to ensure Turkey continue political reforms to improve democratic and human rights in Turkey, which remains a problematic area of Turkeys entry bid.

 

EU officials said another seven policy chapters are waiting to be opened for negotiations, as soon as Turkey meets minimum reform standards. The new policy areas up for negotiations include food safety, taxation, employment, public procurement and the environment.

 

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