The Associated PressPublished: June 17, 2008
Turkey expects France to be fair negotiator in EU entry talks
LUXEMBOURG: France should conduct EU entry talks with Turkey in a fair and impartial way, despite Paris' opposition to its membership bid, Turkey's foreign minister said Tuesday.
France will take over the EU's six-month presidency in July, during which it will lead negotiations with Turkey.
"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 expectations 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."
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is against Turkey joining the 27-nation bloc, and French diplomats have managed to stall negotiations in five 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.
Negotiations in other areas have continued, but are on a slow track because of the long simmering dispute over divided Cyprus. Negotiations on Cyprus-related issues will not open until Turkey allows Greek Cypriot planes and vessels to use Turkish ports and airports.
EU officials have also expressed concern over a legal bid to ban Turkey's ruling Islamic-oriented Justice and Development Party on the grounds it erodes the country's secular ideals.
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 Turkey's 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.
Turkey has opened talks in eight policy areas so far, after talks were launched in October 2005. Turkey has to bring its national standards into line with 35 EU policy chapters. Officials say such talks are expected to last years because of the massive amount of reforms that need to be implemented by Turkey and the opposition from many EU nations against Turkey joining.
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