Dáil Éireann Debate, Thursday - 24 June 2004
70 Mr. Stanton asked the Minister for Foreign Affairs if he will report on the ongoing contact between Turkey and the European Union regarding possible membership of the Union and on the efforts being made by Turkey to meet accession criteria; and if he will make a statement on the matter. [18768/04]
Amharc ar fhreagraThe Helsinki European Council in December 1999 decided that Turkey is a candidate country destined to join the European Union on the basis of the same criteria applied to other candidate states. The Copenhagen European Council in December 2002 made the clear commitment that if the European Council meeting in December 2004 decides that Turkey has fulfilled the Copenhagen political criteria, the EU will open accession negotiations without delay. The political criteria require a candidate country to have achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. December's decision will be taken on the basis of a report and recommendation by the Commission, which will be prepared following extensive consultation with the Turkish authorities under the terms of the revised accession partnership between the EU and Turkey.
The Government has welcomed the remarkable and sustained progress made by Turkey in recent years in legislating for reform. Most recently, on 7 May the Turkish Parliament approved a significant package of constitutional amendments which include provision for the abolition of the State Security Courts, further measures to bring civil-military relations into line with EU standards and to strengthen freedom of the press and the insertion of a constitutional clause on gender equality. The measures also remove all references in the constitution to the death penalty, which has been abolished in all circumstances. I welcome the decisions taken recently in implementation of the reforms, especially the decision to begin Kurdish language broadcasts on radio and television. The Government has had regular contact with Turkey throughout Ireland's EU Presidency. The Taoiseach has had a series of discussions with Prime Minister Erdogan, who was most recently in Brussels for the meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference on 17 and 18 June. I represented the EU at the EU-Turkey Association Council in Brussels on 18 May and also held very useful bilateral discussions with Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul. Foreign Minister Gul informed us of plans for further legislative reform in the months ahead.
The European Council on 18 June welcomed the significant progress made to date by Turkey in the reform process, including the important and wide-ranging constitutional amendments adopted in May. It also welcomed the continued and sustained efforts of the Turkish Government to meet the Copenhagen political criteria and emphasised the importance of concluding the remaining legislative work and accelerating efforts to ensure decisive progress in the full and timely implementation of reforms at all levels of administration and throughout the country. The European Council reaffirmed the commitment that if the December European Council decides that Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria, the EU will open accession negotiations with Turkey without delay. The EU will continue to assist Turkey in its preparations and to work towards full implementation of the pre-accession strategy.
