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Merkel offers insight into ‘privileged partnership’
The German chancellor also described Ankara’s calls for visa exemption for Turks traveling to Europe as premature, saying it was too early for such a move because Turkey has not yet secured its borders to prevent illegal immigration to Europe. But a Turkish official said yesterday that Ankara would continue to push for visa exemption rights when Merkel visits Ankara.
Asked at a press conference on Wednesday whether Turkey would discuss its demand for visa exemption with Merkel, Foreign Ministry spokesman Burak Özügergin said, “Of course we will.”
“There are intertwined relations between Turkey and the EU. There are 35 chapters in the [membership] talks. I am confident that 27-28 of them can be taken up and this will really mean a privileged partnership,” Merkel was quoted as saying by the Milliyet newspaper on Wednesday. “Some issues, like institutional integration, will be left out of the scope,” Merkel told a group of Turkish reporters ahead of her visit, scheduled to take place next Monday and Tuesday.
EU countries unanimously agreed to open official accession talks with Turkey in 2005 before Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, another prominent skeptic regarding Turkey’s bid, took power.
Sarkozy claims Turkey does not belong in Europe, while Merkel promotes “privileged partnership.” In Berlin in May 2009, Merkel and Sarkozy made a joint statement declaring that they shared a common position regarding Turkey’s accession to the EU in that it should be offered a privileged partnership, not full EU membership.
Ankara’s response to Merkel’s reported remarks was swift, with Foreign Ministry spokesman Özügergin firmly reiterating that Turkey will not take any option other than full EU membership into consideration.
“Mrs. Merkel’s thoughts on [Turkey’s] EU membership are not new,” Özügergin said at the press conference when reminded of Merkel’s latest remarks. “Our goal of full EU membership is very well known, at least as much as Mrs. Merkel’s view regarding Turkey’s EU bid is known. There is no option other than full membership,” Özügergin added.
Merkel, who replaced former Chancellor Gerhard Schröder in the autumn of 2005, first broached the concept of “privileged partnership” during her visit to Turkey in February 2004.
Merkel stated at the time that she observed “pretty simple and pretty good” prospects for Turkey’s inclusion within the scope of the European Security and Defense Policy (ESDP). Sarkozy, who was then a presidential hopeful and leader of the ruling French Union for a Popular Movement (UMP), has given constant support to Merkel’s idea since then.
Nonetheless, recalling that three negotiation chapters between Turkey and Brussels were opened when Germany held the presidency of the EU from January to June 2007, Özügergin said Germany hasn’t created any obstacles to the course of affairs regarding the membership process so far.
The spokesman added that Ankara expected Germany to continue its present commitment to the principle of pacta sunt servanda (a principle of international law which means in Latin that agreements must be kept) in the future as well.
In the interview with Milliyet, Merkel also stressed the negotiations remained “open ended” without guaranteeing ultimate membership for Turkey.
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