EU Brushes Enlargement Aside

European Union (EU) foreign ministers convened in Luxembourg Monday, June 13. The ministers approving the supplementary protocol expanding the Customs Union to 10 new EU member countries including Southern Cyprus hitting the ball into Ankara's court. Due to delays during the translation period, the signature process will not be handled in the EU summit on June 16-17. EU ministers gathered for the first time following the French and Dutch rejections of the Union's proposed constitution. They discussed the final summit declaration. While the paragraphs on enlargement have been removed from the text, one sentence referring to the December 17 summit has been included that reminds the European Council on the decisions taken on December 16-17, 2004 regarding the enlargement and underlined the need for the implementation of the decisions. Following the heated debates of EU ambassadors last week, Term President Luxembourg crossed out the entire enlargement section on Friday, June 10. Diplomatic sources emphasize the significance of a referral to enlargement, even a single sentence, and that the December 17 decision has not weakened Turkey's hand at all. Luxembourg Foreign Minister Jean Asselborn said some of his colleagues do not want any referral to enlargement; however, they have reached a conciliation to include a sentence on the expansion of the Union. Asselborn defended since there has been no change regarding Turkey's condition since the last summit, the details in the draft were not focused on. The Minister on the other hand said the enlargement will send a political message that it will be maintained in the context of multiple conditions. Following the debates last week, three different approaches regarding Turkey have emerged. While France say they cannot approve a statement reading that membership negotiations with Turkey will start on October 3, the Greek Cyprus administration pressured for the inclusion of recognition-like statements. During the discussions, the Croatia negotiations were postponed and Austria objected to the confirmation on starting negotiations with Turkey on October 3. Great Britain on the other hand stressed that since the Turkey paragraph is imbalanced, it should be altered. Diplomatic sources in Luxembourg say the final consensus could be changed; however, yesterday's document is likely to be approved by the head of states. Reportedly, the supplementary protocol will be signed by the end of June and it includes the transfer of Turkish and Greek Cypriot goods via Greece. Meanwhile, Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot said in a press conference that as long as Turkey fulfill the requirements, it is meaningless to open the date of October 3 to debate. Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, who is a passionate member of the anti-Turkey stance in the Union, said membership negotiations with Turkey will begin on October 3.

< Prev		Next >