Speaking in Brussels yesterday (7 September) at the European Policy Centre (EPC), a think-tank, Ahtisaari said the report, commissioned by George Soros's Open Society Foundation, called for Turkey's accession process to move forward.
He added that no special "favours" were required for Turkey but rather treatment similar to that of other accession candidates.
Ahtisaari, a former president of Finland, a neutral country, praised Turkey for its NATO role, apparently neglecting concerns recently expressed by the Alliance's secretary-general, who had stated that Turkish-Greek tensions were endangering NATO and EU missions in Afghanistan and Somalia (EurActiv 28/08/09).
The former Finnish president was flanked by fellow members of the 'Independent Commission' - former French prime minister Michel Rocard, former European commissioners Emma Bonino and Hans van den Broeck, former Spanish foreign minister Marcelino Oreja Aguirre and former Austrian secretary-general for foreign affairs Albert Rohan.
Rohan presented a rather optimistic picture of developments in Turkey, praising the fact that talks are ongoing for the reunification of Cyprus, which he called "the best, and also maybe the last chance for reunification," as well as moves by Ankara to grant more rights to Kurds (EurActiv 31/08/09) and for overcoming tensions with Armenia (EurActiv 01/09/09).
The former Austrian diplomat said that EU-Turkey relations had reached a peak in 1999, when the country was invited to start accession negotiations, and had greatly deteriorated in recent years, due the negative attitude of some EU leaders and national public opinion towards the country's accession to the EU. This had caused, in his words, widespread disappointment in Turkey and a weakening of pro-European forces. He added that this development was "contrary to the EU interest".
Spanish former foreign minister Marcelino Oreja was asked about the risk of Turkish military meddling in state affairs, as military circles had tried to ban the ruling AKP party accusing it of anti-secular activities (EurActiv 31/07/09). Oreja compared Turkey's secretive organisation Ergenekon, which is close to military circles, to the organisers of a failed coup in Spain in February 1981, which had tried to impose a military-backed government.
Oreja praised the Turkish government's "firmness" with Ergenekon and said that after recent developments the problem was now apparently solved (EurActiv 09/07/09).
Cyprus responsibilities
Former Dutch commissioner Hans van den Broek acknowledged that in his country, attitudes towards enlargement had changed a great deal recently. However, he said that in the case of Turkey, the EU's credibility was at stake, as some European capitals appeared to be again engaged in discussions about "Europe's identity," a debate which he said was triggered when Turkey was granted EU candidate status.
He also appeared to take a critical stance towards Cyprus in the issue of the blocked accessions negotiations with Turkey.
"I don't know whether we all are aware that the candidate status of Turkey was granted at a certain price," Van den Broek said, adding: "Because when this was decided, at the same time it was also agreed that the accession of Cyprus will not be conditioned to its reunification […] Let's not deny that this simple fact now complicates discussions with Turkey, and gives Cyprus a rather privileged position. And it's not a mere coincidence that many chapters have been blocked, also at the will of Cyprus," Van den Broek said.
Former Italian commissioner Emma Bonino called on EU leaders to be more active by helping the ongoing reunification talks in Cyprus, held between the leaders of the two communities under UN patronage. She strongly encouraged EU leaders to visit Cyprus, put pressure on both sides and aid the success of the talks.
Former French prime minister Michel Rocard strongly called for new chapters in the EU-Turkish accession negotiations to be opened, especially the energy chapter.
Michel Rocard was speaking to Georgi Gotev.
