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Viewing cable 04BRUSSELS5212, EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEBATES TURKISH

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Reference ID Created Released Classification Origin
04BRUSSELS5212 2004-12-09 16:41 2011-08-24 01:00 UNCLASSIFIED//FOR OFFICIAL USE ONLY Embassy Brussels
This record is a partial extract of the original cable. The full text of the original cable is not available.
UNCLAS SECTION 01 OF 02 BRUSSELS 005212 
 
SIPDIS 
 
SENSITIVE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: PREL PGOV TU CY AM EUN USEU BRUSSELS
SUBJECT:  EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT DEBATES TURKISH 
ACCESSION 
 
 
1. (SBU) Summary:  On December 14, the European 
Parliament (EP) will present its non-binding but 
influential "opinion" whether or not the EU should 
open accession negotiations with Turkey.  The EP 
views will not have much influence on the European 
Council decision of the heads of states and 
governments, but will likely be cited by them in 
their own debate on December 17.  In particular, EU 
leaders could mine the final EP opinion for 
arguments and points to support their positions. 
End summary 
 
POSITIVE FIRST STEP IN DEBATE 
----------------------------- 
 
2. (U) In their draft report adopted on November 30 
by the Foreign Affairs committee, MEPs called for 
opening the accession negotiations with Turkey 
"without undue delay."   Amendments tabled by some 
Christian-democrats, stating that the door should 
stay open for the negotiation process to end in a 
"privileged partnership" instead of formal 
accession, were rejected in committee. Some 
Christian-Democrats might retable amendments for the 
plenary vote on December 14.  Currently, a majority 
of MEPs appear to be in favor of opening 
negotiations in 2005 with Turkey's full EU 
membership as the objective by means of an "open- 
ended process". 
 
 
3. (SBU) The European Parliament (EP) has been, and 
remains the center of intense political debate on 
the opening of negotiations with Turkey.  Very tough 
of Turkey in its first draft, the report drafted by 
Dutch Christian Democrat Camiel Eurling, had been 
widely criticized in committee, with Liberal, 
Socialist and green MEPs qualifying its tone as 
"brutal."  Hundreds of amendments tabled and adopted 
in committee made the final version much more 
positive towards Turkey's prospects for accession. 
A Turkish diplomat told us that the Turkish Mission 
had been very active in providing MEPs with 
documents including suggestions to make the report 
more acceptable to Ankara 
 
4. (SBU) In the foreign affairs committee debate, 
amendments stating that the negotiation process 
could be leading to a "special partnership" between 
Turkey and the EU instead of full membership were 
all rejected.  An EP staffer told us these 
amendments could be resubmitted by French and German 
Christian democrats who still strongly oppose 
Turkey's accession to the EU.  Current conventional 
wisdom is these amendments will fail on December 14. 
 
ARMENIA 
------- 
 
5. (SBU) Another delicate matter in the report 
involved the language on the Armenian issue.  The 
report, as adopted in the foreign affairs committee, 
mentions the word "genocide" once but amendments 
proposing Turkish acknowledgement of "genocide" as a 
prerequisite for accession were not adopted.  French 
MEPs have been most active in pushing this issue and 
it could comeback on December 14.  On this issue 
also, most political groups are split and a staffer 
from the socialist group told us that his group 
would not impose any "party line." 
 
 
CYPRUS 
------ 
6. (SBU) Cyprus is difficult for the EP. The foreign 
affairs report contained relatively vague language 
saying that start of accession negotiations 
"implies" Turkish recognition of Cyprus.  The report 
however dropped the word "occupying" forces and 
simply calls for the "early withdrawal of its 
(Turkey's) forces according to a specific 
timetable..." How to handle Cyprus is likely to a 
point of debate during the plenary session. 
 
A TURKISH ASSESSMENT 
-------------------- 
 
7. (SBU) According to a Turkish diplomat following 
this debate in the EP, the heads of states may want 
to refer to it to give their final decision at the 
Eureopean Council the seal of "democratic 
legitimacy." 
 
MCKINLEY