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http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1033848769750&p=1012571727166 [The *European* Union, mind you.] Financial Times October 7, 2002 US ups pressure for Turkish accession to EU By Judy Dempsey in Brussels -"Hardly a week goes by without Washington telling the European Commission and member states to offer Turkey the perspective of eventual EU membership," said a European diplomat. -The US is exerting maximum pressure now, partly because of Turkey's strategic and geographic importance if Washington decides to launch military strikes against Iraq. -Turkey was given EU candidate status in 1999 after Madeleine Albright, former US secretary of state, exerted immense pressure on member states attending the Helsinki summit. Europeans are coming under increasing pressure from Washington to offer Turkey, a US ally, a date for starting accession negotiations with the European Union instead of setting new conditions or obstructing progress. "Hardly a week goes by without Washington telling the European Commission and member states to offer Turkey the perspective of eventual EU membership," said a European diplomat. Brussels briefing The US is exerting maximum pressure now, partly because of Turkey's strategic and geographic importance if Washington decides to launch military strikes against Iraq. "We do not hesitate in discussing our views of the eastern Mediterranean with all our allies and friends," said Tom Weston, Washington's special envoy to Cyprus. "We have made our views very strongly, very forcefully with our friends and allies," he told the FT. Washington is also concerned that, once the EU expands from 15 to 25 members by mid-2004, Brussels will be reluctant to take on another enlargement for some time afterwards. "Yet the Europeans should recognise that a stable, prosperous, democratic Turkey anchored to the EU is to their benefit too," said a US diplomat. Turkey was given EU candidate status in 1999 after Madeleine Albright, former US secretary of state, exerted immense pressure on member states attending the Helsinki summit. This pressure will be stepped up between Wednesday - when the Commission publishes its annual progress reports on the 13 candidate countries, including Turkey - and the EU's December summit in Copenhagen. The Commission will conclude that 10 countries, mostly former communists, will be ready to complete accession negotiations by Copenhagen. Turkey, however, will not be offered a date. The Commission said it did not intend to do so, since that was up to member stater, and in any case Turkey had yet to meet the "Copenhagen criteria" - preconditions, such as respect for human rights, the rule of law and ending torture, for starting negotiations. Mr Weston, who will visit Brussels on Wednesday, said he hoped the Commission would acknowledge the radical reforms Turkey introduced in August when it abolished the death penalty. "Turkey has made stupendous progress with those reforms. It was progress that surprised all of us," said Mr Weston. "It is an effort to meet the Copenhagen criteria. It [Turkey] should be recognised for it. I trust the Commission will present an objective and fair analysis on Turkey." The Commission and most member states, however, have serious reservations over giving Turkey, a secular Muslim country, a date for starting negotiations, regardless of reforms. "Many member states see the EU as a Christian club," said a Commission official. "The cost of admitting Turkey would also be enormous." __________________________________________________ Do you Yahoo!? Faith Hill - Exclusive Performances, Videos & More http://faith.yahoo.com --------------------------- ANTI-NATO INFORMATION LIST ==^================================================================ This email was sent to: [email protected] EASY UNSUBSCRIBE click here: http://topica.com/u/?a84x2u.bacIlu Or send an email to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] T O P I C A -- Register now to manage your mail! http://www.topica.com/partner/tag02/register ==^================================================================
