10
October 2002
2. "Islamist victory at polls could close EU door, says Turkish PM", Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit on Thursday warned that the European Union might close its door to Turkey if an opposition party suspected of harboring an Islamist agenda came to power following next month's general elections.
3. "Turkey's EU membership process stamps election manifestos", while the majority of political parties are fully supporting the EU membership, MHP and SP are cautious about the membership process
4. "Greece applauds EU expansion plan for Cyprus, cautious on Turkey", Greece hailed European Union plans Wednesday to invite war-divided Cyprus into the union, but reacted cautiously to the omission of traditional rival Turkey.
5. "Turkey must end discrimination of Armenian and other non-muslim minorities", a report published October 9 shows that recent and much touted reforms in Turkey barely scratched the surface of the deep and persistent discrimination of the country's Armenian minority, a fate shared by other non-Muslim minorities.
6. "Turkey prepares border for war refugees", on the bleak, mountainous frontier with Iraq, U.S. ally and NATO member Turkey is quietly making preparations to handle refugees from a war it hopes will never happen but may fear is almost inevitable.
1. - Turkish Daily News - "EU report sours Turkish hopes":
EU progress report causes disappointment in Turkey and Ankara brands it 'a report that is not written with good intention'
ANKARA / 10 October 2002
A progress report released officially Wednesday by the European Union has soured Turkish anticipation of getting a date for the start of accession talks.
Releasing the report in Brussels, Guenter Verheugen the European Commission commissioner for enlargement, cited "substantial progress" in Turkey over the past 18 months, but said Ankara needed to do more before it could be given a date to start accession talks.
Foreign Minister Sukru Sina Gurel said on Wednesday the European Union faced a test of its sincerity towards Turkey over its decision on setting a date for starting membership talks with Ankara.
Gurel speaking before the report was officially released, said in an interview with CNBC-E television, the document that said Turkey was not ready to start membership talks was only a technical report and a date could still be set this year by the European Council when the European leaders meet at the Copengahen in December, if the EU had the political will.
"The EU is going through a test of goodwill and sincerity and if it fails this test that will reflect adversely on other aspects of Turkish-EU relations," Gurel said.
Gurel, speaking for the version leaked to the press, not the final version, said, "The report is not written with good intention." It is speculated that the report leaves final words to the Copenhagen Summit. It leaves the door open. It is also assessed that critics can be made in either a good way or bad way. Those who want to abandon Turkey can use the report as well as those who want to include Turkey.
"What we want is for the EU to determine at Copenhagen a date
in 2003 for the start of negotiations," Gurel said. 
Foreign ministry spokesperson Ambassador Yusuf Buluc stated that Turkey made a lot of progress and Turkey expects these developments to be assessed by the EU.
Buluc speaking at a weekly press briefing before the report was released said: "Turkey ratified many reform packets in order to create a concrete membership candidacy. It is Turkish people's right to expect such efforts to be assessed." Buluc stated that Turkey made some efforts to have Turkish vision implemented since there are some mistakes in the report.
What are the reports key points
There is no mention of the negotiations of candidacy. Turkey's progress
in political, economical, harmonization to Acquis communitaire is
indicated but also pointed out that Turkey "does not fully meet
the political criteria." The report states that the reforms contain
a number of significant limitation on the full enjoyment of fundamental
rights and freedoms notably to freedom of expression, freedom of peaceful
assembly, freedom of association, freedom of religion and the right
to legal redress.
Second source of critics are centralized at the reforms to require adaptation of regulations or other administrative measures. The report indicates that reforms "should be in line with european standards." The report indicates that some reforms meet the standard but some will need to be implemented in practice by executive and judicial bodies at different levels throughout the country.
The commission criticizes the banning of politicians from elections. "The commission considers that the decision of the High Electoral board to prevent the leader of a major political party from participating in the November 3, General Elections does not reflect the spirit of the reforms."
The Commission also addresses the human rights abuses indicating that the fight against torture and ill-treatment, civilian control of the military, the situation of persons imprisoned for expressing nonviolent opinions, and compliance with the decisions of the European Court of Human Rights. Turkey following more democracy and protection of human rights will overcome the remaining obstacles to full compliance with the political criteria.
The reduction in the length of pretrial detention periods is a positive
development in the context of the fight against torture according
to the commission. However the commission also states that the lack
of immediate access to a lawyer means that incommunicado detention
for prisoners convicted under State Security Courts continues. Longer
periods of custody still apply in the areas under state of emergency.
Greek Cyprus at the enlargement wave
The European commission included Greek Cyprus in the enlargement wave unlike it was speculated that this issue would be avoided in order not to influence General elections in Turkey. Some EU officials hinted in the past the fear they had that the issue could be abused for General elections in Turkey.
Romano Prodi, president of the European Commission, at his speech delivered at the European Union Parliament, stated that they want U.N. secretary-General Kofi Annan to be engaged in the Cyprus issue.
The Commission states that "Turkey has continued to express support for direct talks between the leaders of the two communities in Cyprus to achieve a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus problem." The commission however mentions U.N. involvement by "The EU, in line with statements issued by the United Nations Security Council, has emphasized the need for Turkey, to take further steps to encourage the Turkish Cypriot leadership to work towards reaching a settlement before the end of accession negotiations.
European Commission looked at reforms and implementations under a
microscope
The commission considers August reforms as an important development
but does not mention previous two reforms as part of the progress.
"Three sets of reform packages were adopted in February, march and August 2002. The death penalty has been lifted during peacetime. The state of emergency has now been lifted in the South East regions and the decision has been taken to lift it in two provinces where it still applies by the end of this year."
The commission also objects to some articles from the August reforms as well. "The reform package of August provides for the retrial of persons whose convictions have been found by the European Court of Human Rights to be in violation of the Convention on Human Rights and fundamental reforms.
According to the commission Turkey has made progress on the functioning of its market economy which should improve its capacity to cope with competitive pressure and market foresees within the Union, but still undergoing the consequences of the two deeply destabilizing financial crises. The report states that current reform programs are producing positive results and growth has resumed. Fiscal discipline has improved and the transparency of public sector accounts has increased markedly. The report however states that Turkey has to continue the preset reform process in order to achieve macroeconomic stability and fiscal sustainability.
The commission indicates that Turkey has achieved a good degree of
legislative alignment in the areas covered by the Custom Union with
the criticism that some other areas alignment is less advanced: "Major
discrepancies between the acquis and Turkish legislation remain. Administrative
capacity needs to be strengthened. Considerable further efforts are
needed."
Door is not fully closed
EU term president Denmark prime minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, stated that doors are not closed for Turkey. Rasmussen, explaining the future of enlargement in which Romania and Bulgaria were suggested to start negotiations in 2007, said that Turkey showed its uneasy but he thinks Turkey is not right.
"We underlined that we are pleased by the reforms Turkey ratified but we also said that Turkey has to make a lot of progress to meet the Copenhagen Political criteria," Rasmussen said.
Rasmussen, however hinted that the decision may change before the Copenhagen Summit. "It is too early to mention the development about Turkey since there are many factors worth considering before December, such as General elections," Rasmussen said.
EU says report is fair
Danish ambassador to Turkey, Christian Hoppe, before the report is released stated that Turkey was treated equal with other candidate countries. "Turkey is part of enlargement" the ambassador of EU term president Denmark, Hoppe, said after his meeting with the Turkish foreign ministry undersecretary Ugur Ziyal.
Hoppe indicated that Turkey will be an important issue in the Copenhagen
Summit in December.
2.
- AFP - "Islamist victory at polls could close EU door, says
Turkish PM":
ANKARA / 10 October 2002
Turkish Prime Minister Bulent Ecevit on Thursday warned that the
European Union might close its door to Turkey if an opposition party
suspected of harboring an Islamist agenda came to power following
next month's general elections.
Ecevit's remarks came a day after the European Commission issued its
much-awaited progress report on 13 EU candidate countries. The report
recommended membership for 10 applicants by 2004, but set no date
for the start of negotiations with Turkey.
"The phrase in the report that 'the government to emerge from
the elections will be monitored' is a serious warning to voters,"
the prime minister told a gathering of businessmen here.
"They (EU leaders) are clearly saying that they will close to
doors to Turkey if a government which goes against secularim comes
to power because they will not be able to work in harmony with such
a government,' he added.
Opinion polls suggest that general elections scheduled for November
3 will see the victory of the Justice and Development Party (AK) of
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, which has its roots in a now-defunct Islamist
party.
Although Erdogan and his colleagues deny having an Islamist agenda
and claim they are a centrist force, many observers remain doubtful
given their earlier convictions.
Erdogan, who has harshly criticized Turkey's secular system in the
past, was barred from standing in the November 3 polls last month
on the grounds that a 1998 conviction for "inciting religious
hatred" made him ineligible under Turkish law.
A possible AK victory could prove destabilizing for Turkey, a Muslim
nation where the powerful army is pledged to protect the secular system.
The army has carried out three coups since the 1960 and forced the
resignation of the country's first Islamist prime minister, Necmettin
Erbakan, in 1997 after a stormy year in power.
3. - Turkish Daily News - "Turkey's EU membership process stamps election manifestos":
While the majority of political parties are fully supporting the EU membership, MHP and SP are cautious about the membership process
ANKARA / 10 October 2002
Turkey's European Union (EU) membership process stamped the election manifestos of political parties running for the upcoming polls. While the majority of the parties give full support to Turkey's full membership target, Pro-religion Saadet (happiness or contentment) Party (SP) claims that the EU was not a modernization project. Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), on the other hand, puts forth its hesitations about the EU with its slogan, "self-respecting membership to the EU".
These parties' election manifestos also reflect their views. While the majority of these parties are fully supporting the EU membership, MHP and SP are cautious about the membership process. Derived from the data of news portal Abhaber, below are the EU policies of the political parties:
AKP: Our most important foreign policy target is the full membership
Moderate Islamist Justice and Development Party (AKP) says that the relations with Europe have special importance and emphasize that Turkey's full membership to the EU is the most important foreign policy target.
AKP pledges that it will fulfill the preconditions of the EU as soon as possible and believes that the membership will improve Turkey's living standards, economy, basic human rights and freedoms.
CHP: Membership will contribute to the success of Turkey model
Center-left Republican People's Party (CHP) stresses that the Turkey model, whose foundation was laid by Kemal Ataturk, sows the seeds of the harmony of the Islamic world and the Western world. For this reason, the party believes that the EU membership will contribute to the success of the Turkey model and strengthening of peace in Turkey's region and in the world.
CHP says that Turkey would be a bridge of culture and reconciliation
between two civilizations if it becomes a EU member.
SP: EU is not a modernization project
Pro-religion SP does not consider the EU a modernization project and claims that the EU is only one of Turkey's strategic tendencies. SP believes that it would be meaningful if Turkey, which develops its ties with its neighbors, the Turkic and the Islamic world, enters the EU as an equal partner.
SP stresses that such a Turkey would contribute to the establishment of multi-religion and multi-culture Europe.
DSP: EU membership open new horizons for Turkey
Center-left Democratic Left Party (DSP) claims that EU membership will open new horizons for Turkey. DSP's first target in its EU policy is the start of accession negotiations between Turkey and the EU.
DSP says it is determined to fulfill the preconditions required for the membership and adds that the Aegean and Cyprus issues are not directly related to the EU membership.
MHP: Self-respecting membership to the EU
Nationalist Movement Party (MHP) wants Turkey to become a EU member at the end of a self-respecting and just process. Urging the EU to be cautious and sensitive to Turkey's membership process, the MHP suggests that those approaches that show Turkey, as a faulty candidate should be given up.
MHP says Turkey's EU membership process would be concluded through protecting its legal rights on vital issues such as Cyprus and the Aegean.
DYP: We'll enter the EU with our mosque, culture and flag
Center-right True Path Party (DYP) claims that it is the only party that can make Turkey a EU member, emphasizing that the EU's political and economic preconditions aims to set up the infrastructure of a democratic environment where people will live in welfare.
DYP's slogan is that Turkey will enter the EU with its mosque, culture and flag.
ANAP: We will be Turkey's trump card in the negotiation process
Acting as the standard-bearer of the EU membership most, center-right Motherland Party (ANAP) says that there were 31 topics that would be discussed with the EU in the adaptation process. Varying from competition policy to joint transportation policy, ANAP says Turkey will negotiate a wide range of issues.
ANAP claims that it will be Turkey's biggest trump card in the negotiation process thanks to its deep knowledge and experience.
IP: EU will impoverish Turkey
Leftist Workers' Party (IP) claims that EU membership will impoverish
Turkey. According to IP, those who favor the membership deceive the
nation. IP's slogan reads that Turkey will not accept to be divided,
impoverished and be a slave at the EU door.
4. - AP - "Greece applauds EU expansion plan for Cyprus, cautious on Turkey":
ATHENS / 9 October 2002
Greece hailed European Union plans Wednesday to invite war-divided
Cyprus into the union, but reacted cautiously to the omission of traditional
rival Turkey.
The EU Commission, in a report, urged EU leaders to include Cyprus
and nine other countries in a major expansion eastward in 2004. Turkey,
another candidate, was left off the enlargement timetable.
"This is report is positive for Cyprus, very positive," Premier Costas Simitis said. "It was the result of hard work by the Greek and Cypriot governments."
The invitation for Cyprus comes despite failed efforts to reunite the island.
Cyprus has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded the northern part of the island following a short-lived coup staged by supporters of union with Greece.
The island's partition, along with other disputes, has brought Greece and Turkey to the brink of war three times since then.
Wary of the possibility of renewed tension with Turkey, Simitis said: "Cyprus cannot be held hostage by any other country ... This is a very difficult period. We must be particularly careful."
Ankara has on several occasions threatened to annex northern Cyprus if the island joins the EU before a peace deal is reached.
Greek Foreign Minister George Papandreou said Greece remains a strong supporter of Turkey's EU entry efforts.
"Turkey has taken many important steps but still has some significant
shortcomings," Papandreou said. "Greece stresses its support
for Turkey's course toward Europe."
5. - Armenian Daily - "Turkey must end discrimination of Armenian and other non-muslim minorities":
10 October 2002
A report published October 9 shows that recent and much touted reforms in Turkey barely scratched the surface of the deep and persistent discrimination of the country's Armenian minority, a fate shared by other non-Muslim minorities.
The report, published by the EU office for Armenian Associations in Europe, is released at the same time as the European Commission's Report on Turkey's progress towards Accession. The European Union is now confronted with increasing pressure from Turkey and from the United States to decide on a date to start accession talks with Turkey. The rule, however, is that such negotiations should not start until basic human rights, democracy and peaceful relations with neighboring countries are secured.
The 70 000 identified Armenians in Turkey, about 0.1% of the country's population, form the largest of the country's non-Muslim minorities; others include Greeks, Assyrians/Chaldeans and Jews.
"Turkey's treatment of its Armenian minority should be an essential litmus test of its willingness to embrace reform", said Nicolas Tavitian of the EU office for Armenian Associations of Europe. Armenians once numbered an estimated 2,5 million in what is now Eastern Turkey where they originate, but following the 1915 genocide and its aftermath, the few remaining Armenians live mostly in Istanbul. Even so, Armenians are still the target of intense prejudice nurtured by the country's media and political establishment. Armenians are still subject today to extensive legal and administrative discrimination. According to FAAE report author Dr. Tessa Hofmann, Turkey is in fact in breach of every one of the relevant clauses of the Lausanne Treaty, which establishes the legal status of minorities.
"We often hear Turkish leaders blaming the European Union for being a "Christian club", supposedly intolerant of Islam", said Nicolas Tavitian, of the FAAE. "This is a fine example of the pot calling the kettle black. Turkey has achieved the most thorough ethnic cleansing of any country in the course of the 20-th century. Its non-Muslims population, estimated at 25% of total population in 1914, has been reduced to 0.15% and it should be a subject of concern to the EU that the conditions which produced that result are still in place. We expect Europe to be intolerant of intolerance".
The Forum of Armenian Associations of Europe was established in 1998 to assemble and facilitate cooperation between Armenian organizations in the Diaspora. It counts member organizations in 18 European countries. The Forum deals with all issues of interest to its member organizations, including international relations, human rights issues, economic cooperation and cultural matters.
SOME OF THE REPORT'S FINDINGS
- Religious buildings and schools. The much-touted legislative reform of August 2002 will allow Armenian foundations to acquire property- providing they obtain permission from the Council of Ministers! Prior to that, they were not allowed to acquire property at all, and property was arbitrarily confiscated from them.
- Access to professions. Armenians are barred from public service, the army and the legal professions.
- Regular attacks. Armenian churches, cemeteries and even schools are regularly attacked, in incidents which often coincide with press campaigns or hostile declarations by politicians against Armenians. Culprits are almost never caught.
- Tight control. The only form of associations allowed to serve the Armenian community are religious foundations, which are subject to extensive restrictions and to the diligent supervision of the 'minority police, the Office of Foundations (VakiFlar Geneland the high-level and secretive 'Minority Commission' (Azinliklar Tali Komisyonu).
- The right to education. Many Armenian children are arbitrarily barred from attending Armenian schools.
- Official incitement to hatred. Turkish children learn to hate or
fear Armenians at school, and a planned reform of history classes
is expected to strengthen prejudice yet further. According to a poll,
73% of Turkish children think "Armenians are bad".
6. - Reuters - "Turkey prepares border for war refugees":
HAKKARI, Turkey / October 9, 2002
By Osman Senkul
On the bleak, mountainous frontier with Iraq, U.S. ally and NATO member Turkey is quietly making preparations to handle refugees from a war it hopes will never happen but may fear is almost inevitable.
The prospect of a U.S. attack on neighbouring Iraq has rekindled memories of Iraqi Kurds flowing into Turkey after the 1991 Gulf War. Wary of its own security, Turkey aims to keep as many as possible in camps on the Iraqi side of the border.
"We have enough experience to host thousands along the frontier," Sirnak Governor Huseyin Baskaya told Reuters, saying there should be no repetition of 1991 when many died of cold.
"Everything is set up to be ready within 24 hours of the first bomb hitting Iraq," he said.
Turkey opposes any U.S. attack, fearing also dire economic consequences and an upsurge of Kurdish nationalism across the frontier that could sway its own Kurdish population. But it may ultimately back a U.S. action with bases and other support.
Whatever Turkey does, if America strikes, people will flee.
Committees set up by the Turkish Red Crescent, the army and local governors have designated 11 settlement areas in Turkey's Hakkari and Sirnak regions and three at Zakho, in the northern Iraqi territory beyond Baghdad's control since 1991. Here Turkey maintains a constant presence, military and civilian.
"We are determined to handle the entire inflow at Zakho, but we have finished all the necessary preparations on the Turkish side just in case," Baskaya said.
Zakho could handle 80,000 immediately, but its capacity could quickly be built up to accommodate more.
Settlement camps with utilities, food and medicine stores have been set up on the Turkish side at Semdinli, Cukurca and Uludere, where there are passages through the high mountains. All were used as escape routes by Iraqi Kurds in 1991.
In early October, the days here are warm, but temperatures plunge at night, giving a feel for the harsh frosts ahead.
"Only the tents are not set up," Baskaya said. The sight of the tents would only alarm a population with still very fresh memories of the horrors of 10 years ago.
There are already scattered arrivals, as Washington steps up pressure on Iraq, accusing it of developing chemical, biological and nuclear arms that could imperil the United States.
GRAVEYARD OF IRAQI KURDS
The rising nervousness across the frontier is palpable here. A police official in Uludere district said there was already increased activity on the border.
"We capture about 25-30 people daily and send them back to their homes (in Iraq)," he said.That number could rise quickly if war breaks out.
Turkish officials could reckon with 80,000 to 400,000 refugees in the event of war. The conflict of 1991 saw 300,000 registered, but up to 200,000 more Iraqis may have crossed into Turkey and not been registered.
In Cukurca, a sleepy border town with a 7,500 population, there is a strong feeling of unease about what might descend upon them from the Dahuk, Amadiyah and Imadiyah regions across the border. Cukurca has set up four main settlement areas embracing a boarding school and other public buildings.
"It was a catastrophe for our people when we hosted them in our town, in our homes, in 1991," Mayor Mehmet Kanar said. "We have taken all necessary measures this time to host them directly in the camps."