Turkey presses for visa exemption in first talks with Füle

Davutoğlu's comments came at a joint press conference with Stefan Füle, the EU's new commissioner for enlargement and neighborhood policy. This is the first visit Füle, who formally took over his post in February, has paid to Turkey, a candidate to join the 27-nation bloc since 1999. He had talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan and Egemen Bağış, Turkey's chief negotiator for EU talks. Davutoğlu said there were legal commitments that the EU had made to Turkey for visa exemption under a series of past agreements.

Ankara is now negotiating an agreement allowing the readmission of illegal immigrants crossing Turkey to reach EU countries and working on final preparations to issue biometric passports to Turkish nationals, an EU requirement for visa-free travel. The government has stepped up its calls on the EU to lift visa requirements for Turks after the EU offered free travel to nationals of three Balkan countries -- Macedonia, Serbia and Montenegro -- in December. Last year, the European Court of Justice also issued a ruling paving the way for Turkish businesspeople providing services in EU member states to enter the EU without having to obtain visas first under a 1973 deal called the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement.

“The Ankara Agreement, the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement and the Customs Union agreement all necessitate that Turkey be given visa-free travel rights even before the Western Balkan countries. I have shared our political determination with Mr. Füle,” said Davutoğlu.

Turkey has been negotiating with the EU for accession since 2005 and is part of a customs union agreement with the EU. But it is not a part of the Schengen scheme that allows free movement across borders.

EU Commissioner for Enlargement Stefan Füle (2nd R) had talks with Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan. The meeting was attended by Turkey's chief EU negotiator, Egemen Bağış (L), and Ambassador Marc Pierini, head of the Delegation of the European Commission to Turkey.

Füle said in response that the EU could come up with measures to ease visa requirements for Turkish nationals if there is progress in dealing with illegal immigration and readmission of illegal immigrants. Visa liberalization could follow in the next step provided that EU member countries reach a unanimous decision to that effect, said the EU commissioner.

Turkey complains that progress in its accession process is held up by disputes over Cyprus and opposition within EU countries over admitting Turkey as a member. Davutoğlu said he had told Füle that the accession process should not be affected by issues that are not directly relevant, such as Cyprus and public skepticism over Turkish membership.

Greek Cyprus, representing the entire island in the EU, threatens to veto Turkish membership unless Ankara, which has had about 30,000 troops on the island since 1974, agrees to concessions in the Cyprus dispute. The EU suspended accession talks with Turkey on eight chapters in 2006, citing Turkey’s refusal to open its ports and airports to traffic from Greek Cyprus. Turkey, which does not recognize the Greek Cypriot administration, says it would allow traffic from Greek Cyprus only if the EU fulfills its 2004 promise for direct trade with Turkish Cyprus. A European Commission proposal to that effect, tabled in 2004, has never been implemented due to Greek Cypriot objections.

Füle, however, reiterated that Turkey should open its ports and airports and normalize its ties with the Greek Cypriots, saying a comprehensive settlement on the island would be a historic opportunity for both Turkey and the EU.

Füle said the EU fully supported the negotiations between Turkish and Greek Cypriot leaders to reunite the island. Turkish Cypriot leader Mehmet Ali Talat and Greek Cypriot leader Dimitris Christofias have held more than 60 rounds of reunification talks since September 2008.

Support for membership

The Czech commissioner also announced his backing for Turkey’s eventual accession to the EU despite opposition in some EU countries, such as France and Germany. He said the EU should keep its promises to Turkey and called on Turkey to take more steps in the direction of reforms.

Turkey says its membership will help the EU boost its influence in the Middle East, a region where Turkey has expanded its influence in recent years. Davutoğlu said Turkey’s membership would be an opportunity for the EU in its drive to boost its global standing. Füle agreed, saying the EU should assume a role not as an “observer of global developments but as a leader.”

‘Genocide’ bills and politicizing history

Another issue that has complicated Turkish-EU ties is decisions passed in member countries’ parliaments recognizing Armenian claims of genocide at the hands of the late Ottoman Empire in the beginning of the 20th century. Sweden, a staunch supporter of Turkish accession in the EU, was the latest to endorse the claims. Despite opposition from the government, the Swedish Parliament passed a resolution last week with a 131-130 vote, prompting Turkey to recall its ambassador.

Füle declined to comment on the Swedish move but said as a former national of now-defunct Czechoslovakia, he was aware that politicizing history could lead to complications. He welcomed steps taken by Turkey and Armenia to normalize their relations, calling the process “historic.” Ankara, which denies genocide claims, says resolutions passed in parliaments of third countries harm the process of reconciliation between Turkey and Armenia.