'Privileged Partnership Unacceptable'
By Foreign News Desk
Published: Saturday, October 01, 2005
zaman.com
"Be honest with Turkey!" warned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan to Europe, as he asserted Turkey will have a different set of codes to operate in case Europe reaches a negative decision.
The Turkish government and the business world continue to react against the attempts to prevent the negotiation process Turkey expects to begin on October 3.
Erdogan asked the European Union (EU) to maintain its attitude towards Turkey’s membership. Ankara will have a "very different set of codes to operate" otherwise, he assured.
"Turkey represents the key for the door the EU wants to open to reach its own ideals," emphasized Erdogan, inviting the Europeans to realize the truth about Turkey.
People need to realize that the world has undergone tremendous changes and in order to do so they need to stop having a worldview that only blind obedience to ideologies allow them to have, asserted Prime Minister. Some people in Europe; however, look back with a sense of nostalgia upon the days before the World War II.
"Ankara will not allow any specifications to trouble Turkey's conscience," Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul told the Paris Match magazine.
"It will be an entirely different Turkey 15 years later," said the Minister. A membership status, Gul acknowledged, will not come true immediately.
Referring to the idea of privileged partnership, "It is a red line that cannot be crossed," Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association (TUSIAD) made clear.
"People defending the idea of privileged partnership belong to the 19th century," said Omer Sabanci, chairman of TUSIAD, adding the Turkish government has their absolute support.
"The long-term interests of both sides will have a determining factor in solving the problem," said Mustafa Koc, head of TUSIAD High Advisory Council, as he emphasized the need for Turkey to continue with the reforms even if the negotiations do not begin. The wind of the EU was enough to entice foreign capital to flood into Turkey, and foreign companies have much more confidence in Turkey than the people who are against Turkey's EU membership.
The European Parliament said "Yes" prior to 17 December 2004
A prosperous ambiance of the EP was signaling high chances for Turkey's full-membership prior to the December 17 Summit.
Although the EP is nowadays trying hard to persuade Turkey to accept privileged membership, on December 2004 the EP had unanimously decided that entry talks should begin on 3 October 2005, following the recommendation of the Council of Europe.
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