MPs 'optimistic' over Turkey's EU accession talks

Thursday, 31 July 2008 12:00 AM

Turkey is still making progress towards accession to the European Union despite its current political problems, a senior MP believes.

Bob Laxton, chairman of parliament's all-party parliamentary group on Turkey, told politics.co.uk he believes Istanbul remains "determined" to press on with accession talks.

"Behind the scenes work is still going on in signing up to the various chapters," he said.

"Obviously there were concerns about the French holding the EU presidency and what their attitude is going to be - but they are not pushing the issue. In ten years' time. the world will have moved on."

Mr Laxton expressed relief that Turkey's constitutional court narrowly agreed avoiding a potential ban on the governing Justice and Development party (AKP), having warned that its forced disbanding would have had "pretty horrendous" repercussions.

The AKP had been accused of engaging in Islamic populism, clearly going against the country's secular principles, but Mr Laxton believes the recent crisis should not affect progress towards Europe.

"It's seen as an almost bizarre situation where a group of people can put the government into court to ban their political party," he added.

"It's part of the struggles that are going on in Turkey and they need to be resolved. I don't think. one should expect the rest of Europe to suddenly explain their position [on this issue].

"Should they start to blow cold on Turkey's aspiration to become a member of the EU? No. We carry on our attitude in exactly the same way. There's got to be a way out of this and ways have been found out of similar impasses in the past."

Mr Laxton says his views are broadly in line with that of the UK government, which remains "resolute" in its support of Turkish accession talks.

A Foreign Office spokesperson told politics.co.uk there are "clear benefits" for the UK for Turkish EU membership, including a "potential boost to jobs and growth from [the] strong Turkish economy".

Not all agree with this analysis, however. Katinka Barysch of the Centre for European Reform thinktank said the "semi-permanent crisis" seen in Turkey since last year's presidential election was having a negative impact on talks.

"[Turkey] hasn't exactly made much progress with the kind of reforms that the EU requires," she said.

"They are negotiating and they are still opening and closing chapters. But most of the chapters are blocked for some reason or another. That's one reason why the accession talks are not making much progress."

Foreign secretary David Miliband remains optimistic, however, hoping talks can quickly move on from the past's recent difficulties.

"This case has been a distraction from the political, economic and constitutional reforms that Turkey needs to modernise for EU membership," he said.

"The priority now should be to focus on these reforms."

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