The Hindu : International : A defining moment in Turkey's history

Online edition of India's National Newspaper
Sunday, Dec 19, 2004

International

International

A defining moment in Turkey's history

By Nicholas Watt and David Gow

By Nicholas Watt

and David Gow

LONDON/BRUSSELS, DEC. 18. Turkey yesterday took the historic decision to set itself on the path to membership of the European Union 41 years after it first attempted to join the world's largest trading bloc.

The decision came after 24 hours of bruising negotiations, in which the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, threw out the E.U.'s first proposal and threatened to abandon the summit.

The row, which centred on a demand from Cyprus that Turkey formally recognise the island, soured the atmosphere as Ankara embarked on what will be a difficult path to membership, possibly in 10 to 15 years' time.

A pledge last night by Austria to hold a referendum on Turkish entry compounded that difficulty — every E.U. country has the right to veto the accession of a new member.

With opponents threatening to derail Mr. Erdogan's plans in the Turkish Parliament, the Prime Minister last night began the battle to sell the E.U. to his country.

``Turkey feels that our relations with the E.U. is a project of civilisation of peace and of co-operation,'' he told a press conference.

`Union of values'

``It is not a union of economics, it is not a Christian club. It is a union of values.''

But Turkish negotiators were angered by conditions to entry imposed by E.U. countries openly hostile to its membership. The main sticking point was an attempt by Cyprus to force Turkey to sign a customs union with all 25 members, which it would then portray as formal recognition of the island.

Enraged by the attempt to force his hand, Mr. Erdogan threw out a draft proposal by European leaders at 2.30 a.m. yesterday after talks with Jan Peter Balkenende, the Dutch Prime Minister, who is the current president of the E.U.

According to the Press Association, the row culminated in an angry exchange in a Brussels hotel in which Mr. Erdogan rounded on Mr. Balkenende.

British and German officials then took the lead in drafting a compromise proposal.

At 8.30 a.m. local time the British Prime Minister, Tony Blair, told Mr. Balkenende that the text would have to be rewritten.

Under pressure from the Germans and the British, the Cypriots finally gave ground after lunch. compromise was agreed in which E.U. leaders noted that Turkey was willing to sign the customs union at some point before talks begin on 3 October.

This allows Turkey to maintain that it will not recognise Cyprus, but that it has volunteered to sign the customs union.

Turkey also took exception to an attempt to block it from E.U. benefits such as allowing workers to settle anywhere in the E.U. A key phrase about establishing ``permanent safeguards'' on these points was kept in the text. —

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