Turkey accused of undermining security for EU troops

In a report on enlargement prepared by Italian Christian Democrat Gabriele Albertini, the European Parliament claims that Turkey has been hindering EU-NATO cooperation, thus paving the way for less security for EU personnel. Formally called the European Parliament 2009 Enlargement Report, the draft will be discussed today at the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET). Ankara, which has not been happy about the wording of the paragraph on Turkey, has already started to inform members of the European Parliament of its objections. The five-page draft, which deals with the membership process of Western Balkan countries as well as Iceland and Turkey, focused on the Cyprus problem from a Greek Cypriot perspective.

Contrary to the commission and council conclusions, the draft starts with alleging that Turkey has “made some progress towards meeting the Copenhagen political criteria.” In numerous EU documents, it has been asserted firmly that Turkey has sufficiently fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria. The paragraph on Turkey refrains from using the term “membership.” One of the most controversial remarks in the report is about EU-NATO cooperation. The draft implies that in the case of the loss of EU personnel in an operation, Turkey could be accused of blocking the cooperation of the two institutions. The draft expresses regret “that the EU-NATO strategic cooperation extending beyond the ‘Berlin Plus’ arrangements continues to be blocked by Turkey’s objections, which has negative consequences for the protection of the EU personnel deployed,” and urges Turkey to set aside those objections as soon as possible.

The draft also calls on Turkey to coordinate its foreign policy with the EU and in particular its relations with Iran. According to the report, the European Parliament “notes that Turkey has made some progress towards meeting the Copenhagen political criteria; urges the Turkish government and all parliamentary parties to establish consensus on key reforms; points out the crucial importance of a swift implementation of the judicial reform strategy for the functioning of the Turkish State and society; regrets the limited progress made in the area of freedom of expression and freedom of religion; deplores the continued non-fulfillment of commitments stemming from the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement; calls on the Turkish government to contribute actively to the swift devising of a comprehensive settlement of the Cyprus question; welcomes the efforts to resolve the Kurdish issue and encourages the Turkish government to take concrete measures to address the situation of citizens of Kurdish origin; commends the diplomatic efforts made to normalize relations with Armenia and urges the Turkish Grand National Assembly to ratify the relevant protocols; calls on the Turkish government to coordinate its foreign policy with the EU, in particular regarding Iran; regrets, however, that the EU-NATO strategic cooperation extending beyond the ‘Berlin Plus’ arrangements continues to be blocked by Turkey’s objections, which has negative consequences for the protection of the EU personnel deployed, and urges Turkey to set aside those objections as soon as possible.”