Monday, January 27, 2014

France's Hollande: "Turkey's EU membership talks must continue with transparency, respect and bona fide."

Turkey is hoping to avoid any political obstacles in the discussion regarding its EU membership process, Turkey's President Abdullah Gul said Monday.

During a press conference
with France's President Francois Hollande, Gul said: "The negotiation period is a technical process that includes the adoption of legal, economical, democratic, and judicial norms. Our main desire is that this process would not be blocked by political reasons."

When Hollande was asked if he had changed his mind on supporting Turkey's EU accession, Hollande said that Turkey's accession to the EU is not on the country's agenda right now, pointing out that only 14 chapters have been confirmed since 2004.

"I didn't change my mind.  But I believe the negotiations should go on, if not, it will come to nothing. The final decision will be with the French people. There is no meaning in agitating fears." 
Hollande added: "Turkey's EU membership talks must continue with transparency, respect and bona fide. Even after the negotiation process is over, the related nations will decide if Turkey will be granted membership or not." 
The Presidents’ addressed Turkey's role with Syria's refugees, Geneva II, nuclear energy agreements, and laws on 1915 incidents.
"Turkey hosted over 700,000 Syrian refugees even though they didn't have to. If Turkey hadn't had opened its borders for them, we would have been talking about a much more dramatic scene right now."
"Geneva II shouldn't be about ensuring the Syrian regime's position; it should be about forming a transitional period."
250,000 Syrian refugees are currently being sheltered in Turkish camps.
When asked about the threat of people trying to cross the border into Syria, referencing the two French teenagers caught trying to pass the Syrian border on January 20, Hollande thanked Turkey's government on its efforts. 
"Turkey averted a humanitarian disaster. I want to thank them on cooperating with us by sharing intelligence. We have to prevent these things from happening again. These are not coherent with the values of the republic."

  • When Gul was asked about Armenian allegations on the incidents of 1915, Gul said: "It is not a wise move to transfer this mutual pain from generation to generation. This issue should be left to historians. A joint history commission can look at this issue, as a matter of fact, this method was used with France and Algeria's relations as well."
Hollande added: "We will do the right thing, we will seek the truth and we will make everybody understand it."

  • Gul reviewed Turkey's EU membership talks, adding: "The EU membership process does not necessarily mean the full membership, we respect the French and Austrian people's referendum decision, even if we complete the negotiation period with success."
"I believe Turkey's full membership will be valuable for both the European Union and France," he added.

"It is very pleasing that Turkey and France are cooperating on nuclear energy. Turkey, unfortunately, is dependent on energy imports. We have to increase our alternative energy sources," Gul said. 
France's objections to Turkey's potential membership to the EU came from former President Nicolas Sarkozy, who believed that Turkey did not belong in the organization..........http://www.aa.com.tr/en/headline/279866--turkey-is-hoping-to-avoid-political-obstacles-in-eu-talks
27/1/14
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  • France's Hollande cautiously backs Turkey EU membership bid 

ANKARA - French President Francois Hollande cautiously backed Turkey's aim to join the European Union on Monday despite its recent crackdown on police and judiciary and earlier French reservations about the idea.
In a long-planned state visit, the first by a French leader in 22 years, Hollande is seeking to mend frayed ties and smooth the way for French companies angling for contracts in Turkey.

But the visit has been overshadowed by Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan's efforts to tighten controls on the court system in response to a corruption probe. European leaders criticized the AK Party leader in Brussels last week, saying democratic principles needed to be upheld.
http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Frances-Hollande-cautiously-backs-Turkey-EU-membership-bid-339527
27/1/14

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