Andrew Duff welcomes Commission decision on Turkey

1.29.50pm BST (GMT +0100) Wed 6th Oct 2004

Reacting to the adoption by the Commission today of its Opinion on Turkey, Andrew Duff, Vice-President of the European Parliament's Joint Parliamentary Committee with Turkey, said that he fully supported the decision to recommend the opening of accession negotiations.

In a statement, Duff said:

"Both Turkey and the European Union are undergoing a profound transformation. The Turkish government and parliament have committed the country to EU membership. The EU has already accepted the candidature of Turkey. Not to proceed now to accession negotiations would be a massive blow to the credibility of the Union and would only bring comfort to the arch-conservatives and ultra-nationalists in Turkey who oppose the modernisation of their country along European lines.

"It is only through the process of accession negotiations that both sides will be able to assess the full implications of Turkish integration with Europe. Clearly there is still a long way to go before Turkey is truly ready for membership. But the potential benefits of full membership are manifold, in terms of social, economic and environmental development as well as the reinforcement of liberal democracy, the rule of law and respect for human rights. Turkey's entry to the Union would enlarge the size of the single market and increase the security of Europe's energy supply; it would give EU foreign and security policy much greater weight in the Middle East, the Gulf and the Caucasus, and nearer at home, in the Balkans. The integration of Turkey would help the EU combat trafficking in people, drugs and arms.

"It is perfectly correct for the Commission to insist on the strict monitoring of the practical implementation of EU law, policy and standards as the negotiations proceed.

"And there should be no further enlargement at all of the Union unless and until the Constitution enters into force."

ENDS/...