MONSTERS & CRITICS: Brussels - The European Commission, as well as the current and future presidencies of the European Union, on Tuesday reiterated their support for Turkey's entry into the EU, despite resistance in France and Germany.
'The European Commission is committed to the EU accession process of Turkey ... on the basis of the negotiating framework that was adopted by all (EU) member states and Turkey in October 2005,' said EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn after talks in Brussels with Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu.
While conceding that Turkey faces a long and difficult journey, Rehn stressed that Turkish membership 'is in the fundamental interest of the EU.'
Rehn's comments were echoed by the foreign ministers of the Czech Republic, which currently holds the EU's six-month rotating presidency, and by Sweden, its successor.
'We will continue to work on the programme that was laid out together by the French, Czech and Swedish presidencies,' said Swedish Foreign Minister Carl Bildt, who singled out peace talks in Cyprus as 'the single most important issue this year.'
The comments in Brussels came less than 10 days after the leaders of Germany and France both questioned the wisdom of allowing Turkey into the EU. >>> © Deutsche Press Agentur| Tuesday, May 19, 2009
REUTERS: Czechs Hope Turkey's EU Bid Will Progress Before July
BRUSSELS - The Czech EU presidency said on Tuesday it hoped to open at least one more negotiating area in Turkey's slow-moving EU entry bid by the end of its term on June 30.
Turkey, meanwhile, did not make clear whether it was linking the energy area of the negotiations -- which is currently being blocked by its rivalry with EU member Cyprus -- to signing a deal on a major pipeline project with the EU.
Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu was asked after talks with EU officials in Brussels when Turkey expected to sign its commitment to the Nabucco pipeline project and what he expected from Europe in return.
He said Nabucco was a strategic project for Turkey and it would do all it could to see it realised.
A European Union with Turkey as a member would be in a much better position from the perspective of energy security. >>> Reporting by David Brunnstrom; Editing by Jon Hemming | Tuesday, May 19, 2009
