Armenian, Assyrian and Hellenic Genocide News

Turkey says EU like "colonial governors"
by Ralph Boulton
Posted: Sunday, November 26, 2000 07:45 pm CST

ANKARA, Nov 21 (Reuters) - Foreign Minister Ismail Cem accused the European Union on Tuesday of behaving like "colonial governors" by setting offensive new conditions for Turkish membership.

Anatolian news agency quoted him as saying Turkey was reaching the point where it could no longer trust the EU.

Cem's comments came amid rising tension over an EU document outlining political and economic changes Turkey should make before membership talks begin. Ties have been further soured by a European Parliament motion accusing Ottoman Turks of carrying out genocide against Armenians in 1915.

"One of the fundamental elements of the architecture of European culture is respect," he said. "The EU and some of our friends act like colonial governors, and show disrespect because they want to change certain situations in Turkey."

Cem was referring to the insertion in last week's Accession Partnership Accord -- listing reforms wanted by the EU -- of a goal that Turkey give "strong support" to U.N. efforts to solve the division of the Mediterranean island of Cyprus.

The EU made no firm link on Cyprus when declaring Turkey a candidate in Helsinki a year ago and had confined the demand to a general preamble until the day when the accord was presented. At the last minute, at what diplomats say was Greek behest, the phrase was included in short-term goals, giving it prominence.

"Promises were made with this document and the EU has set the law aside," Cem said. "The EU doesn't keep its word, and we are reaching the point where we cannot trust its word and there has been an erosion of trust in Turkey-EU relations."

Cem's disenchantment with the EU was echoed by Deputy Prime Minister Mesut Yilmaz.

"If Europe insists on conditions which are against our national interests and not valid for the other candidate countries, then we have no other choice but to go own our way," Yilmaz told members of his centre-right Motherland Party.

The European Parliament's rapporteur for Turkey, Phillippe Morillon, urged Ankara to withdraw its troops from the northern third of Cyprus to help a solution, Anatolian said.

"I would take the risk of withdrawing Turkish troops from there If I were in the position (of Turkish authorities)," it quoted him as saying at a meeting with Turkish deputies in a Mediterranean resort.

Cyprus has been divided since 1974, when Turkish troops invaded in response to an Athens-backed coup by militant Greek Cypriots seeking union with Greece. Turkey still maintains some 30,000 troops on the Turkish Cypriot-held north of the island.

Diplomats said Turkey had appeared ready last week to accept the accord, overlooking with mild protest the Cyprus provision.

But they say pressure in the EU to move from the preamble to the short or medium-term goals an additional clause demanding progress in solving Aegean territorial disputes with Greece had infuriated Ankara.

EU foreign ministers had been due to finalise the accession document, with or without the Aegean amendment, on Monday. But the issue was postponed until December, allowing EU and Turkish officials more time to rescue the situation.

Turkey has long viewed the EU with suspicion, seeking membership but sensing opposition in EU ranks to the entry of a country of more than 60 million people. The accord set stringent demands in human rights and democratic reform.

The Cyprus and Aegean issues, wherever they are mentioned in the accord, are likely to dog Turkey's membership efforts. EU member Greece, which had long blocked Turkish candidacy, stands opposite Turkey on both issues.

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