www.talkcyprus.org

[Dream_Merchant]

http://www.euronews.net/create_html.php?page=interview&article=380912&lng=1
Quote: Barroso "not encouraged" by Turkey's progress towards EU membership

The shadow of the "no" to the European Constitution still hangs over Jose Manuel Barroso.
In his first interview of the new political season, the President of the European Commission speaks to EuroNews. He calls on the 25 to show more unity in the fields of immigration, energy, defence and external affairs. He sounds a warning to Turkey to respect its engagements with Brussels.

SERGIO CANTONE (Brussels correspondent, EuroNews):
"What are the policies for the citizens of Europe to be introduced by the European Commission in the next few months?"

Jose Manuel Barroso (EU Commission President):
"In terms of concrete initiatives, I can already tell you that during the informal Council at Lahti in Finland, due to be held in October, we are going to present our suggestions for a strongly reinforced policy on innovation in Europe. We are going to table a formal proposal for the creation of a European Institute of Technology. It will be based on a network and hopefully will become a flagship project: a catalyst for research and innovation in Europe. We don't see research being limited to the universities but being linked with growth, along with the most competitive economies in Europe.
Also we are working on an energy package which we will be putting forward next year."

EuroNews: "Do you consider that for major decisions on economic reform, the member states might have to move away from a strictly national approach and speak with a more European voice?"

Jose Manuel Barroso: "Both will be needed.
That is exactly what the Lisbon strategy was all about - moving forward on reforms on a national basis but also backed up with measures on a European level. You are right to identify concerns about social issues: measures in the social field will be needed to assist those who may be affected by the effects of the restructuring process. Generally speaking though, we are starting to see the positive effects of some of the reforms. The fact is that we now have a level of growth which is significantly higher than that of recent years. Creation of jobs in Europe this year is running at the best level since statistics started to be collected for the 25 member states. So, Europe is in a much fitter condition today than it was a couple of years ago."

EuroNews: "Aren't some of these changes at the price of social achievements? On pensions for example, certain countries have had to undertake reforms which proved to be extremely hard to accept for some people..."

Jose Manuel Barroso: "Undoubtedly there have been problems. But in general I think the most important thing is that we have created more jobs. Unemployment is on average significantly lower than in previous years. That's very important. I believe we have reasons to be confident now in Europe. Let's be clear, it may not be enough, we need more growth if employment is to be stimulated even further. But on the whole, it can be objectively stated that Europe is better prepared today than it was two or three years ago, especially in the face of globalization."

EuroNews: "What will the European Commission be proposing in terms of a common energy policy?"

BARROSO: "Within the European Union, we are trying to explain that it is in the interest of all the member states to avoid fragmentation. It is not rational, and I am choosing my words advisedly, it is not rational to have 25 mini energy markets. We need to use the potential of the single market in the field of energy. It's also in our interest to speak with a single voice to our other partners, including Russia and other energy producing countries. At the same time we need to tell the Russians that while it's in our interest for them to be credible suppliers of energy, they should appreciate that in Europe they have a sound and reliable consumer who pays the right price."

EuroNews: "You are soon to go on a trip to Africa. To what extent is your tour there, and particularly to Sudan, linked to the question of the war against terrorism?"

Jose Manuel Barroso: "Of course everything is linked in the international field today. Actually the main reason for my African journey isn't the anti-terrorism question, but first of all to meet with the commission of the African Union. Last year we received the whole commission of the African Union and we are going to Addis Abeba to begin a dialogue on a number of questions, among them the issue of immigration. Because that is a problem to which a solution can only be found by working together. We are not going to answer this particular problem with security measures. What we need to look for, is the long term development of the countries where immigrants originate from. I am also going to Sudan because of the extremely grave situation there, in Darfur. I need to talk to the Sudanese authorities and explain clearly our position. A humanitarian tragedy is happening there. We are not there just to show off our presence, we are interested in results. What we need to do together as the European Union, and here the member states are in the front line of responsibility, is to speak together with one voice. Europe can only carry a lot more weight in the world if it has a genuine common foreign policy, which it hasn't got yet. Or if it has a common defence policy, which it doesn't have yet either."

EuroNews: "What are you going to be proposing, and what is the position likely to be taken by the European Commission, in the debate and the process which will be happening from October, on the subject of the European Constitution?"

Jose Manuel Barroso:"I have proposed, and this has been accepted by the European Council, that the 50th anniversary of the Treaty of Rome, the moment when our community was founded, should be identified as the time when a new impetus could be found. A fresh political statement could be declared which might provide a political context from which the institutional question could follow. However I don't think we are there yet. Indeed there will be changes in some of the most important member states in our community, notably in France, a country where most people voted "no". In any case it is a little premature from the Commission's point of view. We are not proposing any kind of solution because it is not our responsibility. But we do want to help the member states to do it, because this is a treaty between the member states. In the debate with public opinion in the member states to find a solution to the institutional question, I think we are moving forward. This question does have to be resolved. It's important and urgent but we don't want another mistake to be made."

EuroNews: "A final question, Turkey:"

Jose Manuel Barroso: "At the moment, we are not particularly encouraged by the information which we are receiving. I think Turkey needs to understand that it has to comply with its promises and obligations. Among them are the obligations of the Ankara protocol: that is, guaranteeing the access of Cypriot ships into Turkish ports, these are vessels of a member state. At the beginning of November we will be bringing out a report on the state of progress of the negotiations with Turkey. What I can guarantee to you, is that this report will be honest, objective and rigorous."

EuroNews: "Is it likely that the negotiations could be suspended?"

Jose Manuel Barroso: "I don't want to anticipate anything at this stage. The report will be honest, very objective and rigorous."

[cannedmoose]

I think Turkey's accession path is in trouble. The Turkish government must finally realise that this is not a 'negotiation' but an 'acceptance' of the EU's rules for entry. Turkey does not have the muscle to negotiate as an equal, as the EU needs Turkey less than Turkey needs the EU. Therefore, while there may well be a fudge to avoid suspension of negotiations, at the current rate of progress, Turkey will not become a member of the EU.

[Dhavlos]

heres an articel on Turkey-EU,

http://euobserver.com/9/22479

Quote: The European Commission has praised a Turkish court verdict clearing a top novelist but repeated that Ankara's laws limiting freedom of expression should be scrapped altogether, with commission chief Jose Manuel Barroso saying Brussels is "not encouraged" by the latest signals from Ankara.......
Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has signalled that the government would consider changing the controversial article, suggesting "The ruling party and the opposition can sit down together again to discuss this issue as laws are not eternal," according to Anatolia news agency.

However, both Brussels and Ankara are less optimistic about the resolution of another major problem - Turkey's relations with EU member state Cyprus - which could eventually cause a suspension of its negotiations this autumn.

[cypezokyli]

cannedmoose wrote: I think Turkey's accession path is in trouble. The Turkish government must finally realise that this is not a 'negotiation' but an 'acceptance' of the EU's rules for entry. Turkey does not have the muscle to negotiate as an equal, as the EU needs Turkey less than Turkey needs the EU. Therefore, while there may well be a fudge to avoid suspension of negotiations, at the current rate of progress, Turkey will not become a member of the EU.

too often, turks (just like the greeks) come up with conspiracy theories , but it is true that they need to start obeying the rules. leaving the cyppro at the side for a minute, turkey really needs to to realize that not everything is a bazar. they ve been told 1000 times to change law 301. even german european MPS of turkish origin (there are four of them) , have been arguing that for the good of turkey, it should start making some serious reforms. not to mention that most of those reforms are actually for the benefit of turkey. turkey should want such reforms not because the EU asks for them, but because they are good for the country itself, irrespective of the accession process.

besides, it helps to take a look on how the bulgarian and romanian accession process has been going :

Quote:

The report goes on to list in great detail all the appropriate measures the EU executive is prepared to take "unless the countries take immediate corrective action".

....

In an unprecedented move, both countries will continue to be monitored even after they become full EU members.

It is called euphemistically a "mechanism to assist and verify progress after accession," to avoid the impression that Bulgaria and Romania will become second class EU members, but both are expected to report to Brussels every six months. The first report is due by 31 March.


For the EU, it's less a celebration than a test

That is also a deadline for establishing fully functional payment systems for EU farm aid.

Beyond that date, the European Commission warns it will withhold a quarter of the money due to Bulgarian and Romanian farmers, worth hundreds of millions of euros next year. The cuts could take effect for a year or even longer.

"This is a first," an EU official said, "It's a serious inducement to get their house in order."

The EU will also keep the ban on pork produced in Romania and Bulgaria, due to continuing outbreaks of swine fever.

Concerns about inadequate systems to deal with mad cow disease and to process milk could lead to other restrictions, dealing a severe blow to the large farm sectors in both countries.

The European Commission may also restrict Bulgaria's access to the EU's internal aviation market, unless the country improves air safety standards.

Bulgarian-registered aircraft and carriers could be banned from flying in or out of the EU.

Message to others

On 1 January, the Bulgarian and Romanian prime ministers are expected to celebrate together on a bridge over the river Danube, which marks the border between the two countries.

The EU will have completed its expansion into the former communist bloc, after 10 other countries joined in 2004.

But for the EU, it is less a celebration than a test.

Most restrictions listed in the report had been mentioned before, but they were neither spelled out so clearly, nor used for the previous wave of enlargement.

They are meant to reassure an increasingly sceptical public opinion, especially in the four EU countries that are yet to ratify the accession treaty - Germany, France, Denmark and Belgium.

But they also send a clear message to Turkey and other candidates in the Balkans that the EU will think twice before admitting any more countries.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/5374038.stm

bulgarians (romanians or turks) might complain that these are double standards (maybe they are), but
a) the conditions (especially the economic ones) have changed since the accession of the ten. much of the optimism of great europe is not there anymore
b) as moose said, its the ones that are in that make the rules, and not the ones who want to come in
c) they need to recall that they ve been repeatetly been warned about dealing with corruption for example, and apparently they didnot follow the rules.

[Khan]

I admit Turkey has to do its part, especially with all this 301 business. But the EU has to play fair also. If they stuck by their promise to open the ports in the North then Turkey would have replied in kind. Instead, they have chosen to ask the impossible (to Austria, France and Germany's delight), and force Turkey to recognise Greek Cypriot authority of Turkish Cypriot. Its simply not going to happen.

If Europe rejects Turkey it will go down in history as one of Europes greatest failures.

[Khan]

Catholic leader voices doubt on Turkey in EU
Quote: The Cardinal said: “There may be another view that the mixture of cultures is not a good idea.”
http://www.timesonline.co.uk/article/0,,3-2369667,00.html

Centre-right MEPs suggest Pope clause in Turkey report
Quote: Angry Muslim reaction to the Pope's recent remarks on Islam has seen some centre-right MEPs make a last-minute attempt to insert a paragraph condemning the Muslim outcry into a major report on Turkey's EU accession progress.
http://euobserver.com/9/22485

Welcome to Europe!

[100%cypriot]

Khan wrote: I admit Turkey has to do its part, especially with all this 301 business. But the EU has to play fair also. If they stuck by their promise to open the ports in the North then Turkey would have replied in kind. Instead, they have chosen to ask the impossible (to Austria, France and Germany's delight), and force Turkey to recognise Greek Cypriot authority of Turkish Cypriot. Its simply not going to happen.

If Europe rejects Turkey it will go down in history as one of Europes greatest failures.

I totally agree with you here ! They have no idea what kind of Pandora's Box they are going to open if turkey is not admitted, ( T PAP and his cronies ) :wink:

[bg_turk]

cannedmoose wrote: I think Turkey's accession path is in trouble. The Turkish government must finally realise that this is not a 'negotiation' but an 'acceptance' of the EU's rules for entry. Turkey does not have the muscle to negotiate as an equal, as the EU needs Turkey less than Turkey needs the EU. Therefore, while there may well be a fudge to avoid suspension of negotiations, at the current rate of progress, Turkey will not become a member of the EU.

Today the majority of Turkish citizens no longer support EU membership.

The Turkish government no longer has the mandate to pursue EU membership and to make political compromises on something that Turks no longer want.

I think Turks have already realized that Turkey will never be a member. Why pay the cost?