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`It is not excluded that Turkey will recognise the Genocide´

Interview with EU negotiater Ali Babacan

By our editor Willem Heck

Nobody should expect Turkey to change her mind about the Armenian question”, Turkish PM Erdogan said. But his first negotiator with EU is more balanced in this.

The Hague, 9 September. Freedom of speech has not improved sufficiently, the rights of minorities are not guaranteed, the position of the army is too strong, the Cyprus item is in an impasse and Ankara refuses to recognise that hundreds of thousands of Armenians became victim of Genocide by the Ottoman Turks in World War I.

In short, the EU report by Dutch Member of European Parliament Camiel Eurlings of Christian-Democrat Party took a firm line with EU candidate Turkey and the report is largely supported by the Foreign Policy Committee of the EP this week. Turkey’s Economy Minister and Chief EU negotiator Ali Babacan this week visited The Hague to advocate the Turkish interests. He rejects most of the European reproaches, but does not exclude recognition of the massacres of Armenians in 1915 as Genocide. In the Turkish embassy he explains the Turkish viewpoint.

DO YOU ADMIT THAT THE TURKISH REFORM PROGRESS IS PROGRESSING TOO SLOWLY?

“No, it just takes time before the results of the reforms are visible. We are at least as committed to the reforms as before. Our commitment will rather increase than decrease. The plenary vote of European Parliament on the report will take place by the end of this month. Until then we will try to change its mind”.

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE CONDITION THAT TURKEY SHOULD RECOGNIZE THE MASSACRES OF ARMENIANS AS GENOCIDE?

“Turkey is open for all outcomes of scientific research on this matter. That’s why we proposed to establish a research commission together with Armenians. Also we opened all our archives for scientific research. We just think that the EP is not the right institution to pronounce about what has happened. Representatives are no historians. The position of the EP is not leaning on historical research, and it does not suit the European way of acting”.

IF A RESEARCH COMMITTEE BACKED BY TURKEY CONCLUDES THAT IT WAS GENOCIDE, WILL TURKEY RECOGNISE THAT?

“Yes, we will accept any outcome”

WILL TURKEY ENSURE THAT WRITERS WILL NO LONGER BE CHARGED FOR “INSULTING TURKISH NATION”?

“In the coming 2 to 6 months we will evaluate the Article 301. If we see that this Article has an undesirable impact, we will examine what we can do”

WHAT DO YOU THINK OF THE TONE OF EURLINGS REPORT?

³The way the report is phrased shows the emotions behind it. The negative influence that has on the feelings of the Turkish population is large and complicates the negotiations. If the Turks get the feeling they are not welcome, they will ask themselves if they should keep on focussing so much on EU admission².

Another stumbling block in the EU-Turkey relations is Turkish refusal to open air and sea harbours for traffic coming from Greek Cyprus (which is not recognised by Ankara). The issue is frustrating the negotiations and may lead to a partial hold up. Babacan also met with Foreign Minister Bot in the Hague. After the meeting Bot took the airplane to Cyprus, to ³find out whether there is room on the left or on the right² to come out of the impasse, his spokesman said. Bot reported tot EU Commissioner (for Enlargement) Olli Rehn, with whom Babacan on his turn, met on Thursday.

IS TURKEY READY TO BE THE FIRST TO MAKE A NEW STEP FORWARDS IN THIS ISSUE?

Ali Babacan:²No, certainly not.² As the EU promised, first the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots must be terminated. After that we are immediately ready to open our harbours and airports for Greek Cyprus. We hope for new mediation by the United Nations. It would be unfair to punish the party that was ready for a compromise in 2004, by stopping the negotiations. The Greek Cypriots in that time voted against the UN compromise for the reunification of the island, while the Turkish Cypriots voted in favour of it².

Bot¹s visit to Cyprus did not bring new visions, his spokesman said. ³But it is important that we keep on moving², according to Bot¹s spokesman, ³because this issue should not lead to a real impasse in the negotiations. It gives hope that meanwhile under UN survey a careful start has been made to reopen the negotiations between the Greek and the Turkish Cypriots.² The spokesman emphasised that there is no official mediation on behalf of the EU.

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