Duff welcomes Turkey decision ands castigates EPP group

12.14.32pm BST (GMT +0100) Thu 30th Jun 2005

European Liberal Democrat MEP Andrew DUFF has welcomed the Commission's draft mandate for the opening of accession negotiations with Turkey. He also attacks the 'privileged partnership' proposal of the German CDU/CSU.

In a statement today, Mr DUFF, who has been Vice-President of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee since 1999, says:

"The Commission has established firm but fair procedures to ensure that tough but just criteria will have to be met if Turkey is to complete its path to full membership of the European Union. The accession process is well designed to protect both the Turkish national interest and the European common interest.

"Turkey's membership is in the long-term strategic interests of the European Union. Both Turkey and the EU will have changed dramatically by the time the accession exercise is complete. It is perfectly sensible to see if these changes can be convergent and mutually supportive.

"For the EU not to act in good faith towards its neighbour would fuel the forces of ultra-nationalism and extremism in Turkey. I am sorry that Mr Elmar BROK, alongside whom I have fought many battles for a strong democratic Europe, cannot be more generous in his treatment of the Turks.

"It was not Turkey's voters who rejected our prized Constitution. In fact, at the moment Turkey is proving to be rather more successful in carrying through its democratic and constitutional reforms than is the EU.

"And its economy is growing about ten times faster than that of Germany.

"Try as one might, I can see no privileges for Turkey in the so-called 'privileged partnership' offered by the EPP group. A second class membership of the Union for Turkey would make Turks second class Europeans. We should not be satisfied with this."

ENDS