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Fischer Re-Enters Turkey Debate

DW staff (nda)January 22, 2004

Joschka Fischer gave Germany's support to Turkey in its bid for EU membership. The foreign minister also warned the EU not to block its accession while urging a resolution of the Cyprus dispute.

https://p.dw.com/p/4ath
Foreign ministers Gül and Fischer during their press conference in Ankara on Wednesday.Image: AP

German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer has warned the European Union against keeping Turkey out of the bloc and reiterated Germany’s pledge to support Turkey’s efforts for membership while on a visit to Ankara on Wednesday.

While Fischer expressed concern that the EU would pay a "high price" if Turkey’s application for accession was not accepted, adding that, for Europe's security, Turkey is more important than a "missile defense system," he kept close to the European Commission line by offering a strong reminder to his hosts that their membership hopes rested on a resolution in the Cyprus situation.

Helping hand remains outstretched

Despite the importance and priority of such a resolution and the effects a failure to reconcile the situation would have on its standing with the powers in Brussels, Fischer added that Germany would continue to support Turkey on its potential road to EU membership. He also announced that Chancellor Gerhard Schröder would soon visit Ankara in reciprocation of Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s successful trip to Berlin earlier in the month.

Fischer told reporters at a joint press conference held with his counterpart Abdullah Gül that the two delegations had evaluated Turkey-EU relations and Turkey's efforts in line with the EU accession criteria mapped out at last year’s Copenhagen summit. Fischer added that he was satisfied that Turkey had made significant progress.

Progress must continue

However, the German Foreign Minister said that Turkey had to do more in practice and would have to show advancements in adhering to EU stipulated human rights criteria and the Cyprus issue if cooperation between the EU Commission and the Turkish government was to bear fruit in the coming days. "Turkey has made very impressive progress, but there is still a way to go," Fischer said.

Turkey’s agonizing wait for news of its membership application will end when EU leaders decide in December whether the strictly secular and western-oriented Muslim-majority country has ventured far enough down the path of democratic reform for accession negotiations to begin.

EU Commissioner criticizes German opposition

A candidate country since 1999, Turkey’s campaign for membership has caused a number of rows in Brussels. Another broke out over the weekend when European Union Commissioner Günter Verheugen harshly criticized members of Germany’s Christian Democratic Union party for their opposition to Ankara’s EU bid.

“Turkey has earned its candidate status,” said Verheugen. “This decision was made with the support of countries where Christian Democrats are in power, which is why questioning Turkey’s status is pointless. Turkey will of course join the ranks of the EU if Ankara fulfils the Copenhagen criteria completely.”

Verheugen also called on the main German opposition parties the CDU and the Christian Social Union (CSU), which have cited cultural and religious differences in their opposition to Turkey’s bid, not to exploit this issue for the sake of domestic politics. Two weeks ago, German conservatives warned that they would make Turkey's application an election issue in upcoming EU polls later this year.

Unofficial May deadline for Cyprus solution

Such issues may prove irrelevant if Prime Minister Erdogan’s government fails to resolve the Cyprus question before the divided island joins the EU on May 1. Turkey’s accession negotiations would be dead in the water if it is considered an occupier of EU soil. Turkey has kept 30,000 soldiers in northern Cyprus since its 1974 invasion in response to a Greek Cypriot coup aimed at uniting the island with Greece.

With time running out, Fischer called on both sides in the dispute to come together to resolve the issue before events came to such a damaging juncture. "There is a very important opportunity here and I think both sides on the island should seize it. Everybody here knows what needs to be done," he said. "The resolution of the problem as soon as possible will create a very favourable environment."

Fischer added that not only the two sides on the island but also Turkey and Greece should exert efforts to find a solution to Cyprus issue.

Erdogan and Annan to meet

He also revealed that Prime Minister Erdogan would meet United Nations Secretary General Kofi Annan on the sidelines of the World Economic Forum in the Swiss ski resort of Davos in the next few days to discuss important details and technical issues concerning Cyprus.

Abdullah Gül said that his country would "do whatever possible" to get the peace talks, which broke down earlier this year, up and running again.

Fischer concludes his trip to Ankara on Thursday after meeting with Erdogan in the morning.