Turkey to attend the EU-Turkey Association Council

Turkish Foreign Minister Ali Babacan said Monday both the European Commission and the term president Slovenia had reassured him that the document will not be changed and approved with the inclusion of the word "accession."  Â

 

France succeeded in removing the term "accession" from the common position paper, prompting Turkey to consider boycotting the meeting. Since the advent of Sarkozy to the presidency, French bureaucrats are trying to omit the word "accession" from every official EU document on Turkey.

 

However Turkey's intense diplomacy overturned France's efforts and the word "accession" was re-added to the document, approved by the EU foreign ministers' meeting on Monday.

 

"If nothing extraordinary happens... no problem is seen regarding our visit to Brussels. Our preparations at the moment are for going to the meeting," Babacan said in a joint press conference with his Tunisian counterpart.

 

The Association Council is the most important decision-making body on Turkish - EU relations. It meets periodically at ministerial level, bringing together member states with Turkey to overview the accession process.

 

The document to be presented to Turkey at the Partnership Council meeting mentions that the closure cases filed against political parties are being observed closely.Â

 

During the Association Council meeting each side delivers a speech explaining how they see the current state of affairs. The speech delivered by the term presidency of the Union is called "common position," and has to be penned with consensus among the 27 member states.    Â

 

The document calls on all Turkish political actors to find solutions by respecting basic freedoms, the constitution and democratic secularity through dialogue and compromise.

 

The EU document expresses concern on the slow down in reforms in Turkey. "The EU has noted the Turkish government's will to amend the Turkish Constitution. The constitutional amendments are essential in embracing EU standards," it added.

 

Photo: AA