By Bruno Waterfield - 19th July 2005
Turkey’s “future lies in Europe”, the EU presidency has insisted as divisions over Ankara’s entry into Europe’s club deepen.
Europe’s foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on Monday agreed to discuss the opening of EU membership talks for Turkey at an informal summit on September 1.
But deep divisions over Turkish EU entry remain and official European Commission puts opposition to Ankara at 52 per cent across Europe.
The British EU presidency – a long standing supporter of Turkey - has defended Ankara’s membership bid.
UK foreign secretary Jack Straw stressed that the EU had already decided in favour of Turkey’s entry in principle.
“There's been a strategic decision made by the European Union that Turkey's future lies in Europe, and that our strategic interests lie in that happening,” he said.
“[Europe’s leaders] just four weeks ago made a very clear decision in confirming EU membership talks. I fully understand that it is controversial in some parts of Europe but the conclusions are clear.”
Pre-planned negotiations with Turkey are set to begin on October 3 but opposition to the large Muslim country has stiffened since EU constitution rejections in France and the Netherlands.
Straw stressed that popular concerns over Turkey could be addressed when, and if, EU members states hold ratification procedures on Ankara’s membership – a decision set be over a decade away.
“That's the appropriate way to discern popular opinion, so it's not being bypassed at all,” he said.
“At any one stage opinion on any issue will vary in different member states of the EU.”
France has pledged to hold a referendum on Turkey’s EU membership – a vote that on present figures would freeze Ankara outside Europe.
European Commission Eurobarometer polling put French support for any further enlargement on the EU at only 32 per cent, with 70 per cent opposed to Turkey.
French foreign minister Philippe Douste-Blazy is presenting Paris, still smarting from constitution referendum rejection on May 29, as the last-ditch defenders of the EU.
“It would be suicidal for Europe to enlarge without taking into account people’s concerns,” he said.
“That’s why France and its people will have the last word on enlargement.”
Austria, where opposition to Turkey is at 80 per cent, is leading a campaign to “adjourn” Turkey talks.
Vienna is linking Croatia’s EU entry application to Turkey’s fortunes, but Europe’s foreign ministers again insisted Zagreb must do more to hand over war criminals.
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