BERLIN: German Chancellor Angela Merkel said yesterday that she favoured new talks to revive Turkey’s stalled European Union membership bid, following warnings by the Turkish prime minister its half-century wait was “unforgivable”.
Yet Merkel, who favours a “privileged partnership” for Turkey in place of full EU membership, stressed the outcome of Ankara’s talks with Brussels should be open, and she remained sceptical about whether Turkey should join.
Turkey has complained bitterly over Berlin’s lack of support for its EU hopes, and has accused the EU of double-standards in conducting negotiations without full membership in mind.
Merkel made her comments in her regular weekly video message, a day before she sets off on a two-day visit to Turkey. Her defence minister visited German patriot missile batteries in Turkey, a fellow Nato member, yesterday.
Socialist French President Francois Hollande said last week he was ready to unblock talks on the “chapter” or policy area dealing with help for EU regions. His conservative predecessor, Nicolas Sarkozy, strongly opposed Turkey’s EU aspirations.
“I think a long negotiating path lies ahead of us. Although I am sceptical, I agreed with the continuation of membership discussions. We are engaging in these with an open result,” Merkel said. “In recent times, negotiations stalled somewhat and I am in favour of opening a new chapter in order to move forward.”
Turkey’s EU accession bid, launched in 2005, all but ground to a halt over an intractable dispute over the divided island of Cyprus, an EU member, and opposition from Paris and Berlin.
Turkey has completed only one of 35 policy “chapters” every accession candidate must conclude. All but 13 are blocked by France, Cyprus and the European Commission, which says Ankara does not meet standards on human rights and freedom of speech.
“Since Merkel came to office, she has repeatedly used the expression ‘privileged partnership’ about our European Union process. Yet when Germany had the rotating presidency, we were still able to secure the opening of certain chapters,” Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said in Istanbul.
Reuters
