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JOINT COMMITTEE ON EUROPEAN AFFAIRS debate -
Wednesday, 13 Oct 2004

Business of Joint Committee.

Item No. 2 is being looked at by the EU scrutiny sub-committee. Is that agreed? Agreed.

Item No. 3 relates to the proposed visit to Turkey which I understand should take place before the end of November. There is a slight complication in so far as the Irish ambassador to Ankara has died in the past few days. However, the committee secretariat will continue to make arrangements for the visit.

On the motion relating to the accession of Turkey to the European Union, proposed by Deputy Haughey, it is proposed to hold two meetings to discuss the issue. I was going to suggest that we have the Turkish ambassador appear before the committee first but he suggested that we have him here last in order that he could also deal with the issue of the visit to Turkey before it took place. I propose to deal with it in that manner. Is that agreed?

Item No. 3 on today's agenda is being deferred to another day. Is that correct?

No. We are agreeing to the visit to Turkey which I hope will take place by the end of November.

Item No. 3 is "Accession of Turkey to the EU — preliminary discussion".

I am sorry. That is item No. 4 on my list. The motion relating to the accession of Turkey to the European Union is now up for debate if the Deputy wishes to contribute.

Is it envisaged that we will do that today?

Yes. The proposal is that the Turkish ambassador should be invited to one of two meetings to be held over two weeks. Is that agreed? The Turkish ambassador will attend the last meeting in order that he can deal with our proposed visit to Turkey at the same time.

On correspondence, there is a letter from COSAC to which it is proposed to send the normal number of members. As the other item on the agenda is going before the sub-committee on human rights, I propose to leave it at that.

Is there an approximate date for the visit to Turkey?

It will take place towards the end of the month — about 22 November. It is proposed to have the Turkish ambassador here the week before.

That is a Monday or Tuesday, is it not?

There is a slight problem because the COSAC meeting is due to be held on 22 and 23 November. The visit will take place in the second half of November.

To clarify the matter, we are not discussing the accession of Turkey to the European Union; we are simply discussing what meetings will be held in the future. Is that correct?

Yes. The question of the accession of Turkey to the European Union will arise at those meetings.

Therefore, we are not discussing it now.

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