TÜRKÇE
  Updated: 10/06/2015

Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Volkan Bozkır’s talking points used at the Press Conference on the European Parliament’s Resolution on Türkiye Progress Report

MINISTER FOR EU AFFAIRS AND CHIEF NEGOTIATOR VOLKAN BOZKIR’S

TALKING POINTS USED AT THE PRESS CONFERENCE

ON THE EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT’S RESOLUTION ON TURKEY PROGRESS REPORT

(Unofficial Translation)

10 JUNE 2015

European Parliament (EP) Resolution on the 2014 Progress Report on Türkiye, which addresses the progress achieved by Türkiye in the EU accession process, was adopted today (10 June 2015) at the European Parliament’s plenary session in Strasbourg.

Each year, the European Parliament announces its views on the European Commission’s Türkiye Progress Report with a resolution.  Thus, today’s EP Resolution on Türkiye is a document in which the European Parliament indicates its views on the European Commission’s Progress Report on Türkiye which was published on 8 October 2014. This is a routine resolution adopted by the European Parliament each year.

This resolution, which was initially drafted by Ms. Kati Piri, European Parliament’s Rapporteur for Türkiye, a Dutch member of the EP from the Group of the Progressive Alliance of Socialists and Democrats, was submitted to the Plenary of the European Parliament following two rounds of discussions in the Committee on Foreign Affairs (AFET) on the basis of 442 proposals for amendments, the highest number to this date. 38 additional proposals for amendments were also submitted at the plenary stage of the European Parliament.

First of all, I would like to express our appreciation for the efforts of Rapporteur Ms. Kati Piri, who prepared the first draft of the resolution and coordinated the process, with the objective of adopting an objective and balanced report. 

We seriously observe the European Parliament’s resolutions, which are political statements and not legally binding, as we consider them a reflection of the will of 751 members of parliament from 28 European countries, provided that they are objective and fair on the basis of our accession negotiations.

We share our contributions with the European Parliament during the preparation process of these resolutions. We make representations each year for the adoption of an objective and balanced resolution. Our President, Prime Minister, Foreign Minister and I shared our views on the draft resolution at our meetings with counterparts from the EU as well as on the margins of the 53rd Türkiye-EU Association Council on 17-18 May in Brussels. We underlined the sensitivities and concerns of Türkiye and asked for them to be taken into consideration.

I also had a meeting with Rapporteur Ms. Kati Piri on 30 May 2015 in Istanbul which was followed by my press conference in which I announced the most sensitive issues with regard to the resolution. I conveyed our views concerning these sensitive issues once more with my letter of 1 June 2015 to Mr. Martin Schulz, President of the European Parliament, Mr. Elmar Brok, Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the European Parliament and leaders of the political groups in the European Parliament.

I would like to remind these three sensitive issues once more. I already announced that if the resolution includes - a reference to the European Parliament’s previous resolution on the events of 1915; - a call for removal of the PKK from the EU’s terrorist organisations list; - any statement that would block opening of negotiation chapters which would thus block accession negotiations, we would consider this resolution unacceptable and return it to the EP. Some members of the European Parliament tried to add these statements into the resolution by amendment proposals.

One of these three sensitive issues, a reference to the European Parliament’s previous resolution on the events of 1915 has been added to today’s resolution. Two other sensitive issues have not been added to the resolution.

Now, first of all, I would like to share my overall assessment of this resolution with you and touch upon some noteworthy parts of it, irrespective of the sensitive issues that I mentioned above.

It is a positive note that the European Parliament reiterates its support for Türkiye’s accession negotiations in this year’s resolution as it was the case last year. However, Türkiye, as a candidate country that fulfils its obligations arising from the accession negotiations, expects the EU and member states to lift the political obstacles blocking the accession negotiations.

We consider it noteworthy that the call on the Council to convey the opening benchmarks for Chapter 23-Judiciary and Fundamental Rights and Chapter 24-Justice, Freedom and Security has been reiterated in this year’s resolution and the resolution calls for starting negotiations on these chapters, as well as there is an emphasis on making progress on chapters Economic and Monetary Policy, Social Policy and Employment, Public Procurement, Competition Policy and Energy.

It is imperative that the Council takes the necessary steps in response to these calls, in order for the continuation of the accession negotiations in a climate of mutual confidence. Otherwise, the public perception that these calls are no more than statements of good will without any concrete results will be strengthened.

It is important that the resolution emphasizes the need for the establishment of high level economic dialogue between Türkiye and the EU.

We attach importance to the emphasis on the invitation extended to Turkish Minister of Foreign Affairs to the meetings of the Foreign Affairs Council of the EU with respect to cooperation in the fight against common threats. Deepening the existing cooperation between Türkiye and the EU in the area of foreign policy with such mechanisms will not only contribute to Türkiye-EU relations but also to security and stability in our region.

Whereas reforms and the political-economic transformation in Türkiye have been noted in the resolution as a result of the constructive efforts of Rapporteur Ms. Kati Piri, we also see that the influence of certain circles and their political considerations negatively affect the assessments and the letter and spirit of the resolution. 

In particular, an unfounded allegation that freedom of expression and freedom of the press are restricted in Türkiye is becoming more frequently expressed.  This false perception first and foremost overlooks the progress that Türkiye has achieved in the area of political reforms. Important steps have been taken with the third and fourth Judicial Reform Packages in the area of freedom of expression which is covered by constitutional guarantee.

We regret to see that the resolution includes expressions serving this false perception which certain circles are trying to create.

The resolution has pointed to the importance of Türkiye’s strategic importance and geopolitical position and has noted the significance of high level consultation and dialogue between Türkiye and the EU in the area of foreign affairs and security policy.

It is a positive note that the statement regarding the PKK remaining on EU’s list of terrorist organisations has been maintained in the resolution despite amendment proposals.

We consider the reference in the Resolution to the Action Plan on the Prevention of Violation of the ECHR, adopted on 1 March 2014, to be favourable. With the adoption of the Action Plan, another important requirement of Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights) was fulfilled, which demonstrates our Government’s determination for reforms even in the politically blocked chapters.

We see that the positive emphasis on individual application mechanism established under the Constitutional Court, appears as another indicator of our determination in the reform process. 

However, we regret to see that a number of important reforms in the area of judiciary as well as fundamental rights and freedoms have not been referred to in the Resolution.

Apart from these, concern over legal amendments on such as the Package on Internal Security, which are similar to those in force in many of the EU countries, even prior to their implementation is a clear indication of the existing biased view against Türkiye.

We see that, although the Resolution emphasises the favourable development of the initiation of the Cyprus talks, on the whole it retains a biased standpoint on the matter. The European Parliament cannot contribute to the newly initiated Cyprus talks with such a biased standpoint.

This resolution, which could have been a reference document for Türkiye-EU relations have been deflected from its main objective on a concrete point as a result of the initiatives of some certain circles who committed themselves to impairing Türkiye-EU relations, despite our efforts and the constructive efforts of Rapporteur Ms. Kati Piri.

Unfortunately, an unacceptable element has been added to this resolution at the European Parliament’s final voting.

In this resolution, there is a reference to the European Parliament's resolution adopted on 15 April 2015 on the events of 1915. Thus, the European Parliament once more repeated the grave mistake that it made on 15 April 2015 by adding this reference to a resolution essentially concerning the European Commission’s Türkiye Progress report. We consider this attitude unacceptable.

The European Parliament's resolution on the events of 1915 adopted on 15 April, which is referred to in the resolution adopted by the European Parliament today, was considered null and void by Türkiye on the grounds that it contradicts with historical and legal facts and was returned to the European Parliament by our Permanent Representative to the EU even without opening its envelope.

In the same way as the resolution of 15 April, we consider today’s resolution of the European Parliament unacceptable. As the Government of the Republic of Türkiye, we have decided to return this resolution back to the European Parliament.

We do not deem it necessary to respond to the slanders of the European Parliament on the events of 1915. Our previous statements on this issue remain valid.

This Resolution, which could have been considered a liveable document and cast light to the future of our relations with the EU and the European Parliament, has now become unacceptable for us because of the sensitive issue that I explained.

Under these circumstances, a routine annual resolution of the European Parliament on Türkiye will be returned back to the European Parliament first time ever.

It is unavoidable that slanders via distortion of history, along with attitudes that create hostility, would harm Türkiye-EU relations. The European Parliament gravely damaged its relations with Türkiye with this resolution.

An important responsibility now falls on the shoulders of the European Parliament to repair this damage given to our relations.

The objective of the EP Resolutions on Türkiye should be to improve relations, as well as interaction and dialogue between Türkiye and the EU. However, if certain circles in the EP make a habit of distorting history, slandering and blocking Türkiye instead of making efforts for common objectives, then Resolutions of the EP like this one will always be unacceptable for Türkiye.

Resolutions including such a biased political stance will not contribute at all to Türkiye's accession process or to the building process of Europe. They will take their due place in the dark pages of history.

As I have mentioned before, the task of the European Parliament representing hundreds of millions of people is not to write history but to find realistic and lasting solutions to the challenges that Europe is facing today.  In fact, all these solutions point to Türkiye.

Despite the lack of vision on the part of the European Parliament that we have seen with today’s Resolution, our main objective will remain, as it has been so far, to continue the reform process so that our citizens attain higher democratic and living standards.

However, this stance should be supported by the EU and the politically blocked chapters need to be opened in order to continue the negotiations in its natural course.  Otherwise, the sincerity and objectivity of criticisms of the EP will continue to be questioned by the Turkish public.

Constructive criticisms in this resolution, which is a political statement and not legally binding, will be taken into consideration in our future work. We will also share our views on the assessments of the EP, which we consider unfair or based on insufficient information with our counterparts.

Cooperation with the EU and accession negotiations will, as always, remain top priorities of Türkiye. Accession of Türkiye, a natural member of the European family, is our strategic objective and a requisite of history and geography.



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