EU Parliament confirms and augments its opposal to Turkey's controversial EU bid in 2010 votes

EU Parliament confirmed and even augmented in 2010 its opposition to Turkey's controversial EU bid, compared to 2009 or earlier in the Past, by rejecting, in 3 Votes in a row in a few months after June 2009 EU Elections (largely won by parties opposed to Ankara's claims to enter into the EU) all Amendments speaking about Turkish "Accession" :

Moreover, for the 1st time, among the Minority which voted, on the contrary, for Turkey's controversial EU bid, several MEPs admitted that they did so because they want another kind of EU, without "Political integration", but "diluted" in a large Market, revealing that those who always clearly warned that Turkey's EU claims were incompatible with "a Political Europe", and/or with  Europe's "Cultural Heritage"/Identity and/or "Values", were probably right, as MEPs' Debate started to reveal, yesterday (Wednesday) in Strasbourg,  (See infra).

It's by a clear Majority Difference of 90 more MEPs (332 against, 242 for), and even 121 more MEPs (362 against, 241 for) that EU Parliament rejected twice in 2010 the attempts of a Minority to impose "Accession" as "objective" of EU - Turkey negotiations, or to claim that if Turkey "implemented" some "reforms", this might be a "step towards EU Accession", respectively, confirming and reinforcing its previous refusal of November 2009, which had a majority of 85 more MEPs, (338 against, 253 for).

In addition, the number of Undecided MEPs diminished : Only 29 or even 13 in the 2010 votes, compared to 44 in the equivalent vote back on 2009.

Moreover, EU Parliament's 2010 Resolution reminds from the outset (at the first citation) that  it has ceased since .. 2006, (i.e. 4 Years now), to use in the Title of its Annual Reports on Turkey the word "Accession" : For the Last time visible in 2006, it ... disappeared in 2007, 2008 and 2009, as well as in 2010.

While in a certain Past, ("on .. 2005", i.e. when EU Citizens, notoriously in reaction to Turkey's controversial EU bid, imposed between, 1999-2004, voted down twice against the EU Constitution Referenda in France and Holland, followed by Ireland too in 2007), some had pushed to "open" "Accession Negotiations with Turkey", on the contrary, in the recent Years, this was notoriously changed into "a Long-lasting and OPEN-ENDed process", which may lead also to a privileged partnership or to any other form of close link to the EU of a  neighbouring 3rd Country as Turkey, (according to EU Council's official decisions taken by EU's Heads of States/Governments during the recent years : 2006-2009), as recital A of EU Parliament's new Resolution clearly confirms in 2010.

Obviously, the real driving force and incentive for Turkey to reform and democratise its society and State, in fact, is not so much a vague reference to an eventual and controversial "Accession" claim  into the EU in a far away Future, (as some of its supposed supporters claim), but the immediate and tangible EU Funds that it started to receive each Year, already since 1999-2004 : More than 630 Millions € earmarked by the EU for Turkey on 2009, even during the present period of Global Finanical Crisis !

On the contrary, during many years before 1999/2000, Turkey wasn't, in principle, allowed to receive legally almost nothing from the EU, as long as Ankara persisted to fail to fullfil a series of Conditions put by EU Parliament and/or EU Council, on Human Rights and Democracy's respect, stoping threats at the Aegean Sea, withrawing its occupation military from the northern part of Cyprus, recognizing the Armenian Genocide, solving the Kurdish issue, etc.  
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    * But now, Ankara was twice warned by the EU in less than 4 Months (November 2009 and February 2010), that "the Negotiating Process" EU - Turkey "may (be) further Seriously affect(ed)", if it persists in its "Failure" to stop obstructing  Ships and Airplanes from Cyprus' free areas, in blatant Violation of its commitments : EU Parliament's Resolution, indeed, "Deplores the fact that, for the 4rth consecutive YEAR, (2005-2010), the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement has NOT been IMPLEMENTED by Turkey", and "calls on the Turkish Government to implement it fully, without delay, in a non-discriminatory way".

    This concerns Cyprus Government's Warning, made clear at the latest EU Summit of December 2009, that if Turkey persists, even in 2010, to disregard the commitment it formally made for EU - Turkey Negotiations to start from 2005, then, the affected EU Member State might start using its Right to "Veto" the opening of new Negotiation Chapters.

    In Addition, a number of MEPs started in 2010 to table Amendments asking to "Suspend" or even "Terminate" the EU - Turkey Negotiations, gathering, for this 1st time,  more than  44  Votes "For", and 11 "Abstentions", astonishingly spreading around in ... all Political Groups : Not only EFD and NI (in Majority), but also some ChristianDemocrats/EPP, and even Liberals, Socialists and Leftists or "Green"...
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Given the Facts, it's obviously a Paradox to see the inexperienced yet, new Socialist EU Commissioner Füle claim, this week in Strasbourg, that, despite all, "the Commission" would insist to "remain committed to the Accession (sic !) process with Turkey" !...

 As if nothing had happened meanwhile, neither the German 2005 and 9/2009 National Elections, nor the French 2007 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections, etc., not even the EU Parliament June 2009 Elections, where  EU Citizens massively voted in preference for those Political Parties and/or Politicians who were opposed or critical to Turkey's controversial EU bid in various Countries, as In France, Germany, the Netherlands, Austria, Bulgaria, Cyprus, etc, even in the United Kingdom ! (See fex. Detailed Analysis and Facts of Electoral results in many EU MemberCountries made by "EuroFora" on June 2009 EU Elections).

As if French President Sarkozy and German Chancelor Merkel (etc) did not exist, neither EU President Herman van Rompoy..  

As if the will of the People, Democratically expressed many times in free Elections, both in the 2 bigger EU Member Countries, traditionally called the "Motor" of Europe, Germany and France, which started to rapidly spread also in various other EU Countries, in various forms, mutatis-mutandis, (fex. Holland, the UK; Bulgaria, Cyprus, partially even Sweden, Spain, Hungary, Greece, etc), progressively amplificating a critical movement which recently won even the EU Parliament Elections, could be nullified by a Bureaucracy..

It's also difficult to explain how a simple Commissioner can ignore all the official Decisions taken by many EU Council Heads of State/Government Summits during recent years (2006-2009), which have made it crystal clear that the EU - Turkey "Negotiations are OPEN - ENDed", (i.e. not necessarily for Accession, but possibly also for other, Alternative Close links/strategic Partnership of the Neighbouring Asian Turkish State with the EU).  

Based on Direct Democratic Elections by EU Citizens, both EU Member Countries' Governments, inside EU Council, and EuroMP in EU Parliament, repeatedly stressed, in all their Official Decisions during recent Years, including 2009 and 2010, that Turkey is NOT in an "Accession Process", but in an "Open-Ended Process".  

Only one Commissioner seems to ignore that Fact, perhaps misled by someone or something unknown to the Public.. 

Füle tried to justify his stance on Turkey's controversial EU bid, by the usual claim that this would "give strong encouragement to political and economic Reform" in Ankara. But Facts easily prove that, obviously, he would have been better inspired if he had  limited himself, as EU Council's Chairman in office, Spanish Minister for EU Affairs, Lopez Garrido did, to simply speak only about the "Complicated", "Problematic", and "Difficult" "continuation of negotiations" between EU and Turkey...

By doing otherwise, Füle's claim underlined the Paradox even more, given the new findings of the recently elected EU Parliament's 2010 Resolution on Turkey, which strongly denounces a series of persisting Failures, and even Setbacks by Ankara's regime, citting many old, persisting and even new, aggravating Facts  :
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EU PARLIAMENT's RESOLUTION
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F. ex. , EU Parliament :

- Denounces the fact that, in Turkey,  "Reforms remain Limited in 2009" too, as in the previous years, and "encourages the Government to" procede "into ... Implementation", and not only paper-work or verbal promisses.

- "Regrets that", in Key Questions "relevant to EU's Copenhagen Criteria" (on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law), "the Implementation continues to be Insufficient', and "urges the (Turkish) Government .. to intensify implementation .. in the areas of ... Freedom of Religion, Thought and Belief, Freedom of Speech and Expression, Zero tolerance of Torture, and the fight against Corruption", (etc).

- EU Parliament feels obliged to again "Call on the Turkish Government to intensify ...efforts (on)  ..zero tolerance of TORTURE, ..to strive for reduction of Impunity ..among law enforcement Officials", and " to authorise the Publication of the Report of CoE's Committee for the Prevention of Torture; once again urges (Ankara) to ratify the Optional Protocol on the UN Convention against Torture".

- "Calls on the (Turkish) Government to ... prevent ..Violence and so-called 'honour Killings'; .. and (to ) protect ... Women and Children in Danger". "Draws attention to the fact that the level of Female Employment in Turkey is the Lowest among all OECD Countries" (!)..

- EU is also "Concerned about CONTINUED RESTRICTIONS ON PRESS FREEDOM, particularly on reporting on ...investigations ...in the light of the imposition of ...fine(s) on ..Media(s), as well as frequent Website Bans; .....recommends that ... in the light of ..Unhealthy links between Media, Business and Politics, a New Media Law be adopted".

- "Is Concerned that the Turkish legal framework still fails to provide sufficient guarantees with regard to Freedom of Expression, and that certain laws continue to be Misused, so as to restrict that freedom; calls (for)... a comprehensive Reform ...in order to ensure ..compatibility with the ECHR and the case law of the ECHR; ...continues ..to be of the view that Articles 301 and 318 ("of the Turkish Criminal Code") should be repealed".

- "Deeply regrets the decision of the (Turkish) Constitutional Court to close the Democratic  Society (Kurdish) Party (DTP), and ban a number of democratically elected representatives", on Dezcember 2009. "... Venice Commission of the CoE, in March 2009, .. concluded that Turkish Legislation governing the Closure of Political Parties is NOT compatible with the European Convention of Human Rights".

- "Once again", EU "draws attention.. to the Crucial importance of a comprehensive and substantive Reform of the (Turkish) Consitution", which notoriously comes from the 1980's period of Turkey's Military regime.

- "Reiterates its call from previous Resolutions, in 2006 and 2007, (sic !) for the (Turkish) Electoral system to be Reformed, by reducing the Threshhold of 10%", in order to allow "Party Pluralism".

- Some Turkish "laws" are "frequently used" by "Prosecutors ... to limit Freedom of Expression".  This and other examples make "a comprehensive and swift reform of the (Turkish) Judiciary" an issue of "Vital" importance.

- Another recent "Serious Setback" is "the decision of the (Turkish) Constitutional Court to annul the legislation limiting the jurisdiction of Military Courts", that EU "deeply regrets".

- EU "is concerned about the alleged magnitude of the Ergenekon Criminal Network", (a mafia of Turkish extremist nationalist criminals, hidden in the Press, the Military, among Politicians or in the State, often abusing of brutal acts).

- "reiterates its Concern about the ongoing Polarisation within the Turkish society and between Political parties"

- "Regrets that No Progress has been made (in Turkey) on establishing the Ombudsman office", despite many Years of EU calls.

- "Calls on the Turkish Government to make sure that anti-terror laws are not Misused to restrict Fundamental Freedoms, in particular Freedom of Expression", and (one again)  asks Ankara "to abolish the System of "Village Guards" (often found by the ECHR responsiblke of Grave Abuses) in the (Kurdish) South-East (area) of Turkey".

- Asks '"to swiftly .. amend the (Turkish) Anti-Terror Law in order to delete the provisions allowing Children (from) Fifteen Years ..of Age to be tried as Adults".

- "Is concerned by the Displacement of Thousands of People resulting from the construction of Dams" in the Kurdish "SouthEast Anatolia". "Urges the (Turkish) Government to cease work on the Ilisu Dam project". "Calls upon Turkish Authorities to preserve the (Kurdish) Cultural .. Heritage concerned .. with particular reference to the Archeological Sites of Hasankeyf and Allianoi".

- "Calls on Turkey to safeguard ..for all" the "Freedom of Religion, as a universal Fundamental Value", including "by Substantial Reforms of the (Turkish) Legal framework, which must enable .. all Religious Communities to function without Undue Constraints", "underlying in particular ...the need ..to be granted Legal Personality".

- "Regrets.. that the Religious Communities continue to face Property Problems". "Concerning Properties seized and sold to 3rd parties" in the Past, EU "urges the Turkiish Government to address this issue without delay".

- EU is obliged to again "repeat its Call... for the Unhindered Training of the Clergy of Christian Communities in Turkey", "for the immediate reopening of the Greek Orthodox Halki Seminary and for measures to permit the public use of the Ecclesiastical Title of the Ecumenical Patriarch". It also "reiterates its Concern about the Obstacles faced by the (Christian orthodox) Ecumenical Patriarchate concerning its Legal Status, the Training of its Clergy and Elections".

- "Regrets that Uncertainty persists concerning the recognition of Cem Houses as Alevi places of Worship, and concerning Compulsory Religious Education in Schools; calls on the Turkish Government ... to remedy this situation"

- EU is also "Concerned by the Difficulties encountered by Syriacs in relation to their Property ownership; in particular ..Expropriation in relation to the Mor Gabriel Syriac Orthodox Monastery".

- "Deplores the fact that the Turkish Government continues to have reservations concerning the Rights of Minorities, ... that it has not yet signed relevant CoE Conventions and that it has not yet .. a dialogue with the High Commissioner on National Minorities of the ..OSCE; Urges the Government to bring its policy fully into line with International Standards  and  the ECHR". "Notes..the ..Difficulties faced by Minority Schools and the Anachronistic "Dual Presidency" system" "Urges the (Turkish) Government ..to foster a climate of full Respect for Minorities, and to ensure that cases of Hostility and Violence are brought before the Courts".

- " Regrets that there has been No encouraging Development ... regarding the Greek Population of the islands Gökçeada (Imvros) and Bozcaada (Tenedos), which continues to encounter Problems with Property rights and Education; Urges the Turkish Government .. to preserve the BiCultural character of these Islands".  ("EuroFora" met recently in Strasbourg a Family obliged to migrate in France and Germany from these islands, who denounced that they had been obliged to sell their properties for undervalued prices and leave their ancestral land, where young people are even hindered to learn their mother tonue, the Greek language, because Turkish Authorities still insist today to keep closed the Greek Schools that always existed there for thousands of years until their generation).

- "Remains Concerned that Turkey does not grant the Right to Conscientious Ojection to compulsory Military Service and that No Civilian Alternative is available; Deplores the fact that (a) 2006 ECHR judgment ...requiring Turkey to amend legislation allowing the repeated prosecution and conviction of conscientious objectors remains Unexecuted", 5 Years later.

- EU "expresses its Concern about the recent Arrest (in mid-November 2009) of some 20 ..Trade Unionists", and " Regrets the Lack of progress concerning Trade Union Rights". "Calls once again on the (Turkish) Government, .. to adopt, without any further delay, a New Law on Trade Unions that is in line with ILO standards, including safeguards for the right  to strike and negotiate collective agreements".

On International issues and the "Commitment to good-Neighbourly relations" :

- EU Parliament "Deplores the fact that, for the 4rth consecutive YEAR, the Additional Protocol to the EC-Turkey Association Agreement has NOT been IMPLEMENTED by Turkey (which persists to ban Ships and Airplanes from Cyprus' free areas ). "Calls on the Turkish Government to implement it fully, without delay, in a non-discriminatory way, and recalls that failure to do so may further Seriously affect the Negotiating Process" EU - Turkey, MEPs warned.

-  Moreover, EU "call(ed) on Turkey to ....IMMEDIATELY start... to WITHDRAW its FORCES FROM CYPRUS", (where Ankara's army illegaly occupies the northern part since 1974), in order to "facilitate a suitable climate for negotiations", "and to contribute in concrete terms to the comprehensive Settlement of the Cyprus issue, based on a bizonal, bicommunal Federation, in line with the relevant UN SC Resolutions and the Principles on which the EU is founded", (i.e. Human Rights).  For that purpose, the EU "Urges Turkey to act pragmatically and do its utmost to ensure the success of the negotiations between the Greek and Turkish Cypriot leaders, ....to settle the long-running Division" of Cyprus.

In addition, EU "calls on the Turkish Government to cease hindering civilian Vessels prospecting for Oil on behalf of the Republic of Cyprus in the eastern Mediterranean.
Ankara is also urged by EU Parliament's 2010 Resolution to "address the issue of the Settlement of Turkish citizens (i.e. Turkish  "Settlers") on the (Occupied Territories of the) island, and also by enabling the Return of the sealed-off section of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants, in compliance with Resolution 550(1984) of the UN  SC".
EU also "Urges Turkey to ensure that the Rights of all Displaced persons in Cyprus (on their Homes and Properties, to Return to their ancestral Land, etc) are respected". This "includes those of Religious Minorities, (which should be) ...allowed freely to exercise their  Religious Rights".  stresses that, "In the case of the Catholic Maronite community, Freedoms should also be accorded to all 4 Maronite villages", now occupied by Ankara's  Military.

- More Critical today, EU Parliament stresses that it "expects the Turkish Government to  end the continued Violations of Greek Airspace", and "calls on the Turkish Grand National Assembly to withdraw its casus belli Threat" of War for the Aegean Sea. And that, only after criticizing  "the Limited progress achieved in improving Turkish-Greek bilateral relations".

- EU also "urges the Turkish Government to open the border with Armenia" that Ankara still keeps blocked.

- "Stresses once again its Appeal to the Turkish Government to ...fully respects Iraq's Territorial Integrity, Human Rights and international Law, and that Civilian Casualties are avoided", in "any anti-terrorist operation that is conducted" by Military Interventions of Turkey penetrating inside the Neighbouring Country.

- "Calls on the Turkish Government" for more "Foreign Policy coordination with the EU, in particular as regards Iran", (where recent ambiguous statements of Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan vis a vis the controversial Iranian regime provoked MEP's criticism).

 - Given  "Turkey's importance as a Transit ..country for Irregular Migration", EU "urges Turkey fully to implement, ..the existing bilateral ReAdmission agreements with (EU) Member States; calls on the Turkish Government to step up its cooperation with the EU on Migration Management, the fight against Crossborder Crime and Human Trafficking", "to take Urgent steps to ensure that international rights to protection and reception of migrants and asylum-seekers are respected", and "to conclude a working arrangement with Frontex"

- EU "Regrets ...that NATO-EU strategic cooperation extending beyond the "Berlin plus" arrangements continues to be Blocked by Turkey's objections, which has Negative consequences for the protection of the EU Personnel deployed", and "Urges Turkey to set aside those objections", due mainly to Ankara's controversial claims on Cyprus.

- "Calls once again on the Turkish Government to sign and submit for ratification the Statute of the International Criminal Court", that Ankara still refuses to accept, notoriously  because  it is afraid that Turkish agents may be persecuted for War Crimes, etc.

- Last, but not least, concerning EU Taxpayers' Money, EU "takes note of the Court of Auditors' Special Report No 16/2009, identifying a series of Weaknesses in the management of .. (Financial) Assistance to Turkey", and "calls on the Commission to implement the recommendations ..of the Court of Auditors when providing (Financial) Assistance" to Turkey, as well as "to launch ..an Evaluation ..and report ..to the European Parliament" about its findings.

Meanwhile, it's also true that MEPs found also "welcome" a few "positive" measures by the Turkish Authorities, such as, fex. "Legislation on the use of Kurdish Language ... in Prisons" (sic !)... (etc).
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MEP's DEBATE : Majority Critical
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EU Parliament's Rapporteur on Turkey, experienced Dutch ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Ria Oomen-Ruijten, said that she had mainly  "3 messages to send to Turkey " on 2010 :

First of all, Turkey "must Reform its Constitution (which notoriously dates from the 1980 era of Military Chunta), as quickly as possible, because this is hindering the real reforms that are needed in order to modernize the Turkish sociiety", she stressed.

- Fex., "there are still Threats against MPs, there are still Problems", and "we are looking carefully on the decision taken by the (Turkish) Constitutional Court on December 2009" to ban the pro-Kurdish Democracy Party DTP. "The Dialogue", briefly launched earlier with Kurds, "seems to have come to an End" in Turkey, she observed.

Second, "Law Enforcement" (i.e. Police and Courts, etc) "also need real reforms :  "We need to make sure that Rule of Law is respected, but also that CoE and Venice Commission's recommendations are implemented", . "I ask Turkey to take this messages on board", she underlined. Because, on the contrary, f.ex. a "law which restricted the jurisdiction of Military Courts", in favour of Civil Justice, "was cancelled" recently, she denounced.

"Third, Fundamental point", is related to the lack of "Implementation of (Reform) Laws passed" : On violations of "Freedom of Religion", about the fact that often "People arrested are ill-treated", etc.

Finaly, "on Cyprus", "Turkey also needs to know that the Ankara Protocol" (to EU - Turkey 1995 Customs Union, lifting discriminatory obstacles against Cyprus' related Ships and Airplanes) "must be ratified, without more delay". And "I am asking Turkey to send positive signals on the front" of efforts to solve the Cyprus' issue, she added.

- "The Report is Critical, but balanced, and, if its messages are heard, it can help Turkey modernize, for its own good", EU Parliament's Rapporteur concluded.

Significantly, the Speaker on behalf of the largest Group of MEPs : ChristianDemocrats/EPP, German MEP Berndt Posselt, preferred to speak exclusively on Western Balkan countries Croatia and FYROM's current perspectives for EU Accession, but totally ommitted Turkey...

Even the Socialist Group's Speaker, Kristian Vigenin, didn't refer to Turkey, but only briefly :  - "On Turkey, we need to see moves on Cyprus' issue, if Turkey wants to advance" in its negotiations with the EU, he warned.  In general, we (Socialist Group) remain committed to Enlargement process (which currently includes Croatia, soon FYROM, etc), but we shall be tough whenever it's needed : Fex. EU will not turn a blind eye to Copenhagen (Human Rights) critera, as fex. the respect for Minority Rights, he promised.

Speaking on behalf of the Liberal Group, also MEP Ivo Vajgl, only Briefly mentioned Turkey, (prefering to speak much more for "openness to EU Enlargement in Western Balkan countries", as  Croatia, FYROM, etc), only to say that  : "it depends largely on themselves, if Turkey fulfills the necessary criteria".

On the contrary, Brittish MEP Charles Tannock, speaking on behalf of the Conservatives/Reformist Group ECR, made larger mentions to Turkey, because, as he admitted, his Group "favoured EU Enlargement", "not only" because "we see ..benefits in a larger Market, but also because we look  -unlike other MEPs- for a Dilution of Federalist Ambitions at EU's heart"...

- But, despite that, Tannock critically observed that "Turkey’s EU membership application remains Problematic, not least in the field of Human Rights".

- And "the recent Horrifying case of a teenage Girl buried alive for talking to boys ..gives ammunition to those who say that Turkey has No place in the EU", he denounced.

- Turkey's "failure to recognise Cyprus, or implement the Ankara protocols, as well as stalling in the ratification of the Treaty to re-establish relations with Armenia, is a Disappointment", experienced Tannock criticized.

Speaking on behalf of the EuroLeft Group, Cyprus' MEP Takis Hadjigeorgiou, was one of the few  to stress that he still kept a hope for EU "accession" perspectives to motivate Turkey to move and make "Necessary" Changes, fex. "in order to guarantee all Minorities' Rights, lower the Electoral threshhold for participation to the Parliament (currently up to 10%, as CoE repeatedly denounced in Strasbourg), safeguard Workers' Rights, such as to Strike and to Collective Negotiations", etc. But, "this will be good, most of all, for the Turkish People itself", he added carefully.

- "Some among the Problems that Turkey is also called to address, is  to find a real Political solution to the Kurdish issue, to recognize the Armenian Genocide, to normalize its relations with Neighbouring Countries, and to stop the Occupation of Cyprus", he stressed.

- "Since Turkey, violating International Law, hinders Cyprus to use its soverfeign rights inside its own exclusive Economic zone" for Oil/Gaz search in the Sea, "in consequence, we declare our opposal against the opening of the Energy Chapter" in EU - Turkey negotiations, warned the MEP from the Governing AKEL Party in Cyprus, one of EU's Member States whose agreement is legally needed for any opening of any Chapter to negotiations.

"As for those who really want a Solution on Cyprus' issue, they should speak clearly to Turkey," and "underline its responsibilities". It would be an unacceptable confusion ond responsibilities, if some pushed to confond an aggressor with his victim", he added, obviously referding to Ankara's Military Invasion and Occupation of the northern part of Cyprus.

- "We (EuroLeft Group) are for Turkey's accession to the EU, but ..not for EU's accession to Turkey"'s desiderata, MEP Hadjigeorgiou warned.

On behalf of the EFD Group, Dutch MEP Bastian Belder stressed that that his Group "urges EU Council and Commission to put 5 Issues on the Agenda of the forthcoming Negotiations with the Turkish authorities : "

- 1) "Grant Legal Personality to all Religious Communities, as a Basic Condition for the respect of Freedom of Religion in Turkey".

- 2)  "Immediate termination of the Turkish public "Hate" campaign against Christians", fex. "under the guise of granting the Negatively charged term :  "Missionary activities", to Schools, Medias, etc.", while also implying that "Christians would be subversive, and undermine the (Turkish) State"..

- 3) "Put immediately a Stop to the astonishing Discriminations against Non-Muslim Minorities in the ..senior Civilian and Military Posts in the Turkish Administration".

- 4) "Act effectively against the growing Anti-Semitism ...in Turkey. A Turkish scientist denounced recently a "Poisoned" ambiance".

 - 5) "A strict coordination with the Euro-Atlantic policy vis a vis the Islamic Republic of Iran, on Tehran's controversial Nuclear program. Turkey must clarify its stance on the increasingly Urgent issue of Tehran's Atomic program. As a NATO ally and candidate to the EU, Turkey must Now follow suit", Belder warned.

Finally, EU "Council and Commission, should take seriously the Copenhagen Criteria (on Human Rights, Democracy and Rule of Law)s, and the Criticisms exerted on Turkey, particularly on the above mentioned points, he concluded.

Speaking on behalf of the non-aligned, and in particular of the "Freedom Party" (2nd bigger in Holland at the recent Elections), Dutch MEP Barry Madlener, clearly "stressed that they are "certainly NOT for EU Enlargement to Turkey".

- Fex. "The (military) Occupation of Cyprus by Turkey is illegal, and yet we (EU) don't yet put any, or few, Sanctions" to Ankara for continuing that, he criticized, proposing "an Amendment which Condemns the Occupation and orders Turkey to withdraw its troops from Cyprus now".

- "Furthermore, the Media in Turkey are under Heavy Pressure. When I was visiting, Journalists were even expelled" from an EU - Turkey meeting !  -"We (EU) must condemn" that situation, Belder denounced.

 - "Then Iran, ...a rogue state: Ahmadinejad, an Islamic Dictatorship (which) commits Terror among their own people, asks openly to wipe Israel off the map, works on long range Missiles, and regularly conducts missile Tests,  yesterday started enriching Uranium suitable for Nuclear Weapons. At this point, we (EU) still, only express our Horror at Turkey, which wants to join the Iranian regime and called it  his "great friend", while "we (EU) should condemn" that, said Belder.

-  So, "Turkey who calls Iran its friend. Occupies Cyprus. Oppresses Christians. Violates Womens' rights. Is member of the Islamic International OIC, with its Sharia which violates Human Rights, and its Islamic Culture, (etc), can NEVER join" the EU ! "We should not do that, and that's why we are asking for the (EU-Turkey) Negotiations to be Suspended", he concluded.
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  Even for Socialist MEP Raimon Obiols from Spain, (obviously in favor of Turkey's controversial EU bid), the "Frank Criticism" by EU Parliament's Report "is balanced", as he said, aiming "to send a positive, but not naive message, in order to push Democratic Reforms and modernization in Turkey".

- But, "we must be clear", he added :  EU - Turkey "Negotiations reached a stage of Slowness and Imprecisions", while, "according to surveys, there is an Erosion of support to EU accession even in the Turkish public opinion", and "Contradictory signals... create Uncertainty", he observed.

- "It is necessary to overcome this situation : We shall have, ahead of us, either a Vicious circle of Divisions, Confrontations, and Mistrust, or a return back to .. (EU-Turkey) negotiations without ambiguity", the partisan of Turkey's controversial EU bid threatened.

- "Naturally, also Turkey must advance decisively in the way of Reforms", during "serious and Rigorous Negotiations" with the EU, so that "the process of Negotiations and Reforms continues", he admitted however.
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But, "Green" Dutch MEP Marije Cornelissen found that the .."acknowledgement of Homosexuality in Montenegro and the deals made with the Turkish Police by the association "Hands off my body", were "2 examples" showing "Major Political Breakthroughs" and "practical Changes which benefit the People", that is "great" and "exciting" to see happening there with a view to (EU) Membership", as she claimed.
After "seizing every opportunity to visit Turkey during the past 6 Months", the young lady returned with a demand for the EU : To "avoid .. Barriers in the Accession process", as she called it, which should not be affected by "Bilateral Issues", as she put it. "For the people who live" in "Turkey" or "Kosovo", etc. "the prospect of Accession (into the EU) is too important to be held hostage to the resolution of bilateral conflicts", she argued.

- "The last year (2009), Turkey's complicated Foreign Policy provoked Confusion to the International Community, and even to a part of the Turkish society itself : Where is going Turkey ?  Towards a multicultural Europe, or towards an Islamic State?", wondered Greek MEP Nki Tzavela, of the EFD Group.

 - "Reminding Turkey's political behavior vis a vis Iran, the Unacceptable diplomatic sayings against Israel, the Conflict with Egypt at Gaza's border, and recently, Turkish Government's decision to abrogate Visas for entries from 7 Arabic Countries, where it's known that Extremist Islamic Organisations are active, whose members  could even enter in the EU", she observed that, "if we are led towards new Sanctions against Iran, Turkey's stance inside UNO's SC will be a catalyst for its future course, and, then, we'd speak differentlly", she warned.
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 - "Public opinion in Europe is understandably Opposed to the entry of Non-European and Islamic Turkey", observed  Philip Claeys, Flamish MEP from Belgium, (next EU Chairman : July - December 2010).

- "The promise of the previous (EU) Commission was that Negotiations with Turkey could Stop, if  it sappears that Turkey fails in its Democratic Commitments, and that Negotiations would have to keep Pace with the Reform process in Turkey". But "None of those promises were fulfilled", he denounced.

- "On the contrary, there were repeatedly opened new Chapters, while in Turkey we see more Degradation than progress : Political Parties are banned, Kurdish Mayors are arrested, Christians are Victims of Intimidation, Violence and administrative Obstruction. Critical Writers and Academics are hiding, (etc). Needless to speak also about phenomena like Forced Marriages, and so-called "Honor Killings".

- And "which (Time) Deadline, sets the Commission to Turkey in order to recognize all EU Member States ? When is it that Turkey must respect the Ankara Protocol ? Is there  an End to the illegal military occupation of Cyprus ?", Claeys asked.
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For Spanish EPP MEP Jose Salafranca, certainly, "Turkey must meet the Conditions and requirements of the Copenhagen Criteria and, obviously, has to apply the Ankara Protocol", (about ending discriminatory obstacles to Cyprus' related Ships and Airplanes).

- But, "the Ruling (AKP) Party lacks the necessary 3/5 (Majority) in the Parliament to amend the Constitution", while "the Electoral Horizon of July 2011" approaches, and "7 Years since the moderate Islamic Government of Mr. Erdogan", it's still "trying to revoke" acts which "gave great Powers to the Military". "Above all", the Turkish Constitutional Court "decided to Ban the activities of the Democratic Society Party", he critically observed.

 - "All this context" creates "a Volatile situation" in Turkey, "on a highly Sensitive issue", where "any Wrong signal may have serious Consequences for EU's Security" by "provoking disturbing Shocks" at Ankara, "a NATO partner", so that we should handle it "with great Caution", he warned, (as if he spoke about .. explosives !), inevitably raising the Question if Turkey might try to impose its controversial EU bid via Blackmail by scaring Europe with Threats ..

British Socialist MEP Richard Howitt, while admitting that he was "pro-Accession" for Turkey, nevertheless, acknowledged, at least, that, despite "significant public Scepticism in Turkey", "as we confront Scepticism ..within the EU", Democratic "Reforms should be intensified",  and "constructive Criticism of Turkey is needed", while "Sepherding Turkey towards Accession" "requires Leadership .. in the country", and he "understand(s) the Pain of Injustice felt by our Cypriot collegues
But Howitt curiously insisted to claim that "the Majority of this House ..want(s) Turkey’s Accession" (sic), despite many EU Parliament's Votes against that (See Facts cited above), and recent EU Council Heads of State/Government Summit's decisions speaking only about an "Open-Ended process".

Nevertheless, he expressed the fear that "the shrill voice of the rejectionist (as he called the Majority of MEPs opposed to Turkey's controversial EU bid, as many Votes proved : See supra) must not be allowed to Drown us (i.e. those "who want Turkey's Accession") out", given their larger number..

And, instead of inciting Turkey to fullfil its Commitments and comply with EU Criteria, on the contrary, he asked from .. the EU (whose taxpayers already fund Turkey) to "keep its promisses", as he said, and even tried to .. teach "EU Parliament how (it) should deal with Turkey" !

Thus, Mr. Howitt accused the EU Rapporteur on Turkey, experienced Dutch ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Ria Oomens-Ruijten, to "submit Plenary Amendments to agreed compromises in Committee" without "seeking agreement of the political Groups before(hand)", and he  went as far as to attack "those who speak in this debate Opposing Turkey" claiming that they would be "a Minority", accusing "too Many of" Critical MEPs to be "motivated by Religious Intolerance" (Sic !) against Islam, (curiously, when, on the contrary, Critical MEPs mainly asked for "Freedom of Religion" denouncing Oppression and Harassment of many Religious Minorities in Turkey..), and to "seek (their) own Political Advantage by deliberately creating False Fears about Immigration (something that noone had yet said here) , going as far as to lose his temper and even ..personally Insult critical MEPs by claiming that their "arguments (to which he didn't reply anything) were Loathsome and Repellant, and so are You" (sic !)...

 - French "Green" MEP Helen Flautre denounced "all the Political Murders, the social Intolerance, and the Impunity (of Killers) which apparently still persists" in Turkey, hoping that in "the trial of the suspected Murderers of (Armenian Journalist) Hrant Dink", whose "12 session took place on Monday at Istanbul", "the Court might search the Truth, for the 1st time", after "observers felt that ...the  Attorney underlined the links ...with other on-going trials, as that of the Ergenekon network", related to the Turkish "Deep State". "There is a desire .. for Democracy and (Human) Rights' (respect) in the Civil Society", she found.

And that other "Horrible Crime" in Turkey, of "that young Girl aged only 16, found burried in a cottage, where she had been condemned for speaking to boys", "is currently at (Turkish) Newspapers' Headlines", she observed, finding that this would indicate that "such purely Barbaric Crimes are no more tolerated in the Turkish Society", since "some years ago, these Crimes weren't at Press Headlines", as she claimed.

But Flautre curiously asked, not Turkey, but ..EU Parliament to show its "Sincerety", as she said, "which is measured, today, by our (EU's) capacity to supporty the Decisive", Historic and Complicated proces in Cyprus", the "Green" MEP went on to add, suddenly changing target. "Because what is at stake (with Cyprus' issue) is the future of Turkey's Accession to the EU",  she found.

In particular, she claimed that "the EU must say, today, that we are ..determined that Nothing (sic !) inside the EU Acquis Communautaire (i.e. the 4 Freedoms of Movement, Settlement, Property, Trade, etc, as well as Human and Civic Rights, EU Member States' Law, etc) would never put any obstacle to any agreement that might be found in Cyprus", as the "Green" MEP curiously asked, (obviously putting all EU Law aside, if it opposed Turkey's desiderata on Cyprus)"...

- Eventual "Turkish Accession (into the EU) would inevitably change the Nature of the EU Project", against "Unwanted Political Integration".  "That's why some ..are so Resistant to it" (i.e. opposed to Ankara's controversial EU bid), while those who, on the contrary, "wish to see Turkey one day as an EU Member", in fact want "a Different EU, instead of what is being developed today" (i.e. without Political integration, but rather a simple large Market), observed  Brittish Conservative MEP Geoffrey Van Orden (ECR), speaking openly on what is really at stake, (in a rare agreement on Turkey even with ..French President Sarkozy)..

- But, "let us not blame Turkey for the EU's internal Difficulties", he went on to add curiously , (despite 3 "NO" to EuroReferenda on new EU Institutions since Turkey's Unpopular EU bid, in France, Holland and Ireland, which notoriously blocked and delayed for years the pace of EU's integration).

- "What has happened to the (EU) Negotiations with Turkey? Why are so Few Chapters open?", Van Orden asked, as if he ignored EU Council's Decisions during the recent years 2006-2009...(when several EU Member States clearly declared that it was Unacceptable to open certain EU Chapters to Turkey, either because of Ankara's persisting Failure to fullfil its Commitmens, fex. on Cyprus, or because they simply refused Turkey's controversial EU bid, prefering an alternative close link to Europe, but Not Accession).

- Van Orden repeated a usual UKUSA claim that " Turkey is in..a key geographical position in providing ..routes for pipelines from the Caspian", while, in fact, it's known that the UKUSTurkish controversial "Nabuco" old plan, is obviously too Long (zig-zaguing far away from the EU, instead of heading Directly towards it), too Expensive, too Risky (crossing a country facing Earthquakes, Conflicts, and gross Foreign Debt, used to make often various Blackmails), and not sure to find enough Gas to transport, being, at any case, a project "for the Next Decade", as next EU Commissioner on Energy, Gunter Oettinger said in his recent Hearing by MEPs, adding also the existence of various other Alternatives, (such as, fex. Russia's "South Stream", Ship and River Transport of liquefied Gas, other Mediterranean routes, the "DESERTEC" giant Solar plan linking Africa to Europe, etc). But the British MEP's move was obviously made in order to raise, immediately afterwards, the question : - "Why is the Energy Chapter not open (in EU - Turkey Negotiations) ?" As if he didn't know that, in response to Ankara's harassment and threats against peaceful prospection for Oil/Gas in Cyprus' territorial waters, Nicosia was obliged to warn that, as long as that Turkish pressure continued, (in addition to Ankara's persisting refusal to lift a discriminatory ban against Cyprus' related Ship and Airplanes even after 12/2009), it would exert the Right of any EU Member State to refuse the opening of the controversial chapter in Turkey's negotiations with the EU.

                                            
- "Turkey of course can hardly ever be discussed in this Chamber without reference to Cyprus", Van Orden observed. " And, with presidential elections (as he named the so-called "vote" at the illegal regime set up by Ankara in the Occupied Territories) imminent in Cyprus, and Unification Talks in progress, Cyprus is very much on our minds". "Of all the places in the world where the EU might actually play a useful role and exert some benign influence, Cyprus stands out – yet we are absent", he noted.

 
- "But perhaps it would be more helpful if, instead of always Criticising Turkey, the EU endeavoured to provide it with more support on this issue", the British MEP claimed.

- Fex. "I agree that the Turkish Garnison (as he called Ankara's Foreign Occupation Army that UNO's Resolutions vainly ask to withdraw) in Northern Cyprus (as he called the illegal Occupation regime set up by Ankara in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus) should be much reduced, (as he said, obviously adopting Ankara's stance, which refuses to withdraw ALL its Army from Cyprus, even in case of Agreement, thus threatening  to provoke a stalemate in the reUnification Talks). "In fact, I regularly propose to Turkish emissaries that a Unilateral Reduction in Troops (among the more than, 40.000 Turkish Soldiers still Occupying the northern part of Cyprus, with a force more numerous than the legitimate Government's own "National Guard") would be a bold Confidence-Building Measure", the notoriously pro-Turkish MEP  revealed. "But, ..had the (controversial 5th Version of the so-called) "Annan" Plan been put into effect, the Turkish Troop presence would have been reduced to a mere 650 and the Greek presence to 950", Van Orden said. (Ommitting to mention the fact that, this couldn't happen but only after a Long, previous process, lasting for Many Years, without any  Guarantee against a possible "Breakdown" and Division which might have been provoked at any moment, while Numerous Turkish Foreign Troops were for the 1st time in History authorized to stay inside Cyprus, transforming an illegal Foreign Occupation into a legitimized "presence", something obviously Dangerous since, meanwhile, in addition, even the State of Cyprus would have been immediately abolished, replaced by a powerless central loose quasi-confederation and 2 "constituent States", with Separate Taxes' levy, Separate Foreign Trade, Separate Natural Resources, Separate Police, Separate Courts, Separate Citizenship, etc., creating obvious  risks of more troubles, conflicts and final Partition).

 - "It is scandalous that no real progress has been made in opening international trade with Northern Cyprus", the notoriously pro-Turkish MEP added, insisting for an obviously Partitionist measure vis a vis the illegal Occupation regime, set up and supported by Ankara's Foreign Occupation Army, in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, where the Majority of their legitimate inhabitants (Greek Cypriots, Maronites, etc), have been obliged to flee after the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion, and are still hindered today to return, deprived of their Family Homes and private Properties, contrary to ECHR's case-law.

- "Why has the European Union not kept its promise given in May 2004 to end the isolation of Northern Cyprus?", Van Orden asked, (apparently "forgetting" the fact that EU and Cyprus' Government have agreed, meanwhile, to provide EU Funds even to the Turkish Occupied Territories, and published a "Green Line" Regulation allowing Foreign Trade for all Turkish Cypriots through the Free, Government-Controlled Areas, considerably diminishing to the so-called "isolation" of the illegal Occupation regime Occupied Territories, mainly due to Ankara's Foreign Military Invasion and Occupation itself, according to UNO SC Resolutions).
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- "We are against an EU Enlargement which ..only strengthens NATO, ...with the Scissionism  of  Kosovo and the Destabilisation of Western Balkans, .. disputes on Borders, ..new conflicts, .. astonishing Crisis provoked by imposed Reforms, .. etc", claimed Charalambos Agourakis, Greek "communist" MEP of EuroLeft.

 - "The so-called "Bilateral" issues, are, in fact, International issues, and that's why even UNO deals with them", the MEP observed, (referring to some other claims, made earlier by some of his collegues : See supra).

- "This process goes together with Ankara's instransigeance on Cyprus, with its threats for "Casus Belli" ("cause for War" against Greece) at the Aegean sea, .... (and) with the Interdiction, in substance, of the Trade Unions' movement, and other Undemocratic reforms in Turkey. This is one more reason, for which we prefer to stay beside the Working People of these countries, againsy (EU) Accession, so that they can struggle for their Rights", he concluded.

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- "In our view, the Accession of Turkey is Neither Realistic, nor Desirable, for Many Reasons", stressed from the outset Italian MEP Lorenzo Fontana, of the EFD Group, speaking against those who present Turkey's EU bid "as if it were irreversible".

- " First, because Turkey is Not Geographically located in Europe".

- "Secondly, because Turkey is a state increasingly Islamized, and Ankara is in fact a leading member of the largest global pan-Islamic organization, the OIC";

- "and Thirdly, because the Religious Minorities are persecuted and have a status of Inferiority".

- "Fourth, because Turkey still officially denies the Genocide of a half a Million Armenian Christians, politically and militarily occupies Cyprus, in Violation of International Law", added the Italian MEP.

- "Furthermore, ..with Turkey in, the EU would border countries such as Iraq, Iran and Syria".

- "Finally, .. in 2030, Turkey, with 90 million inhabitants, would be the most Populated country in the EU. This would mean that the largest number of MEPs, and the percentage of Votes in the .. EU Council, for which the equilibrium of Europe would surely be destabilized", Fontana warned.

  Non-aligned British MEP Diane Dodds, from Northern Ireland (UK), focused on denouncing "Property Scums" and "Fraud in Turkey" :

- In particular, she described "the Plight of many of the Citizens that (she) represent(s), who are suffering Grave Financial Loss as a result of Property Scams within Turkey. Since ...July (2009), I have been contacted by many constituents who have invested substantial sums of Money in properties, ranging from EUR 50 000 to EUR 150 000, and who have subsequently lost out on that Investment, in what, in many cases, looks like Blatant Fraudulent activity", Dodds denounced.

- "I would request that the (EU) Commission look into this, and act proactively in relation to it", the MEP concluded, (adding another possible Financial Scandal, in addiion to EU Court of Auditors' recent Critical observations about EU Financial Aid payed to Turkey : Comp. supra).

- "I have Problems about Turkey, and I wonder whether it has the Mentality to make the necessary steps, whether it's possible, or not, for that Country to join (the EU), and if there is an EU capacity to Integrate it", experienced MEP Elmar Brok, of the Governing ChristianDemocrat/EPP Party in Germany, warned.

 - "Particularly when we see the Behavior of that country in respect to "Berlin +" (i.e. Turkey's  blockade of EU - NATO cooperation), Cyprus, Freedom of Religion, Freedom of Expression, the Ban of Political Parties, and many other such problems", Brok denounced.

In conclusion, Brok significantly observed that, for the 1st time, after the June 2009 EU Elections (notoriously won mainly by Political Parties and MEPs opposed to Turkey's controversial EU bid), the new Commissioner Füle in charge of EU's Enlargement had been given also "a larger bandwidth, in that (he was) responsible together for Enlargement, and for Neighborhood policies"

- "Both concern the European Perspective, but they are Different instrument Boxes", Brok observed, trying to make new EU Commissioner Füle aware of the fact that, he had a "Large Chance", to be able to work for both these different kind of 3rd Countries' relations to the EU, finding that "interesting", (particularly after his critical observations on Turkey, whose proces of negotiations with the EU is "Open-Ended", according to EU Council and EU Parliament recent decisions, i.e. able to lead not necessarily to "Accession", but, perhaps, to a "Strategic Partnership" or any other alternative "close link" to the EU : See supra)..

However, another British Socialist MEP, Michael Cashman, surprised by being the only one to find, contrary to all other observers, that, "when it comes to Minority and Human Rights", it would be .. "Croatia and FYROMacedonia who are failing to respect EU Acquis", while "In Turkey there has been progress", as he paradoxicaly claimed !.
- But Cashman immediately explained that Paradox : He was speaking only about the .."discriminaion on grounds of Sexual orientation", "in relation to Lesbians, Gay men, Bisexual and Trans-gendered people"....

Experienced German Liberal MEP Alexander Lambsdorf's 1st speech on Turkey after the new ChristianDemocrat - Liberal,  Merkel - Westerwelle Coalition won the 9/2009 Elections in Germany, was naturally awaited with interest by Strasbourg's observers : He didn't deceive..

 - It's true that Turkey is making "moves", (as some Socialist or Conservative British MEPs claimed).  But in which Direction ? Towards, or away from EU Values ? Recently, it appears that Ankara is rather moving far away from EU values, Lambsdorf denounced from the outset :

- F.ex. in the case of the "Barbaric Crime" of the "Murder" of the young Girl (See supra), it's naturally OK that Media discuss it. "But does it mean that the Turkish Society moves towards more European Values ? No, I believe that it's not so", he criticized.

- And, fex. on Freedom of Speech : Yes, there are debates on .. Sexual Minorities, fex., as  Mr. Cashman said. .. But, at the same time, there is the Ban of "YouTube" Website, there are Legal Rules which impose Restrictions, and Laws which provoke legal Uncertainties in the especially important issue of Freedom of Expression. There is also a kind of "Private War" against Freedom of Speech" in Turkey. "All these Facts are Unpleasant".

- F.ex. on the (Turkish) Military : There was a simple "Directive" trying to dissuade the Military officials to interfere without political authorization. But, there is now also a Judgement by the (Turkish) Constitutional Courft which forbids Citizens to accuse any member of the (Turkish) Military  before the Civil Courts. That's bad", he criticized.
That's why, "to be Honest we must clearly say that, in Turkey, there is No libear Movement towards more European Values". On the contrary, "there is a movement" often "pushing Backwards".

The top German Liberal MEP underlined that "EU Negotiations" with Turkey, "are a Process WITHOUT any AUTOMATISM", - i.e. they don't necessarily nor automatically lead to accession. This might happen "only if all Criteria are fullfiled", he said.  But this process may have also other, differend conclusions (fex. special relations, partnership, etc), or even be suspended or stopped, as the German Liberal party's 2009 Electoral Manifesto, and its agreement with Chancellor Merkel's Governing CDU/CSU party clearly explain, according also to the official EU Council stance about an "Open-Ended" process).

Even more important : - "in this process, our (EU Parliament's) Primary Responsibility is, first of all, vis a vis the European Union itself". Lambsdorf stressed. And it's there that we really "need Credibility and Honesty" most of all.

-  In this regard, "I must say that .. I am shocked when I see here this Strange Alliance between "Green" MEPs, who claim that they want a Strong Europe, but also push for an EU Enlargement as quickly as possible, and British conservative MEPs as Geoffrey Van Orden, who also want to Enlarge the EU to all kinds of Countries (including Turkey), but in order to Weaken the European Union", on the contray (See supra). "This is Amazing !", critically observed Lambsdorf.

And this last move naturally comes from "the UK, which doesn't even participate to several important political areas of European Integration, such as Shengen, (Freedom and Security on Person's movements), the Euro (Monetary zone), the Social Charter, and even the Fundamental Freedoms' charter. These are not marginal issues", he added...

In fact, nothing surprising in this obvious Paradox : Even a Chief of the current "German Greens", (who have notoriously stopped their old Criticism of Human Rights Violations in Turkey, contrary to what their predecessors did in a good old Past), is a ...Turkish origin immigrant, who was given the papers of German Nationality (when a massive distribution of "Nationality" papers by a Past "Socialist" Government was strongly criticized in Germany), and even Elected at various representative posts,  less than ...Seven (7) Years after he came from Turkey ! Meanwhile, his only "Integration" inside the German Society was ...to be apointed at a job supported by Public Funds due to deal exclusively with... Turkish immigrants, as himself !...  Another such case, was that of a former "Socialist" MEP, who had taken German Nationality papers at the same occasions, after winning Money in Business (sometimes "shady", according to various Police investigations) exclusively destinated to .. Turkish immigrants as himself... Close to a similar case of a new "Socialist" MEP who also took German Nationality papers after being appointed for a few years to a job supported by Public/Social Funds and dealing only with the distribution of Health-allowancies and other Social Security benefits into a sector full of Turkish immigrants as himself..

It certainly isn't the "reply" given to Lambsdorf by German "Green" top MEP Ulrike Lunacek, that might change such Facts. .. On the contrary :

-   Lunacek "rejected" the accusation that "the Greens might want EU Enlargement at any price",  by admitting that "we clearly stand for (EU) Enlargement, both in the  Balkans and to Turkey", but claiming that this goes only "when all the (EU) Criteria are met".  

However, she immediately proved ..the opposite, when, speaking of Turkey, Lunacek merely repeated the cancellation of a simple Directive which authorized the Military to interfere in Security issues, that Lambsdorf had already cited himself, without, however, saying even one word on, nor even trying to contest, all the other, seriouslhy Negative developments and Setbacks in Turkey, denounced at the same occasion by the Liberal MEP ! (See supra)..     

Such obviously Unilateral way to selectively see things, made Lunacek even ask MEPs to vote for an Amendment lodged by the "Greens" which asked to recognize that the EU - Turkey Negotiations had as "objective" only Ankara's "Accession" into the EU : But this was, precisely, rejected, again and again, - and even with a growing, crystal-clear Majority-  in EU Parliament in Strasbourg, as "EuroFora" observed from the outset (See supra)...

Surprisingly, Former Minister for EU Integration, Polish MEP Ryszard Czarnecki from the ECR Group, even if he came from the same Political horizon as the notoriously pro-Turkish British MEP Van Orden, and despite the fact that he defended him vis a vis Lambsdorf's criticism (See supra), by replying that "Mr. Van Orden, in fact, loves Europe, but without Bureaucracy, which impedes Development", nevertheless, practically agreed with those MEPs who opposed Turkey's controversial EU bid :

- Czarnecki, indeed, made a clear Distinction between the "Western Balkan Countries", such as "Croatia" and FYROM, but also "Serbia, Montenegro", etc, "which are obviously European Countries, and without which EU would be incomplete", a    sking for them to facilitate their entry into the EU, and the absolutely differend case of Turkey :  

- "As for Turkey, I'm afraid, that this is not, at least for the foreseable future", Czarnecki characteristically concluded...

Czech MEP Jaroslav Paska (EFD) denounced "a Game of "Hide and Seek" with Turkey" : "There are Public Statements from Turkey claiming that efforts for Reforms would continue", but, in fact, not a lot has changed : Fex. Fathers selling off Daughters, as a kind of Slavery, etc., and  developments will persist to be Complex, I'm afraid. So, for Turkey, a lot has still to be done, and we should prepare for very Long negotiations. This must be made clear".

 -  "Turkey should realize that the issue of a country with its size of Population is a hard nut to crack", because "it concerns EU's capacity to absorb such a huge Enlargement, its Budgetary constraints, etc.", realistically observed ChristianDemocrat/EPP Spokesman on Foreign Policy, Cyprus' MEP, former Foreign Minister and Presidential candidate, Ioanis Kasulides.

 - "Therefore, Turkey should understand how much easier – and without obstacles and frozen Chapters – her accession road would be without the weight of the problem of Cyprus" he added.

-  To overcome that, the main point for Ankara is to face the "need to contribute on the issue of Guarantees, the presence of Troops and the right of unilateral Military intervention, that Cyprus does not need", observed the experienced Kasulides, pointing at one of the most crucial outstanding points which have not yet found a solution in the on-going intercommunal Talks for Cyprus' reUnification : A really thorny point, that even Cyprus' President Christofias himself had clearly pointed out at his reply to an "EuroFora"'s question during his latest visit to the CoE in Strasbourg (See relevant "EuroFora"'s NewsReports).

 - "On Turkey, we should say a "Yes or No" here. We (EU) should not promise riches, if in the end it's not possible to accede", stressed, on the contrary, Edvard Kozusnik (ECR) from the Czech Republic, prefering a fundamental clarification on the main issue.

Spanish MEP Willy Meyer of EuroLeft Group, vice-President of Petitions' Committee. stressed that, "in these moments the EU should focus on  following intensively the Talks that take place in Cyprus with the leaders of both main communities", where "Turkey is playing a very Negative role : It's not supporting a solution in the good direction", (i.e. it doesn't really push towards Cyprus' reUnification).

- "Therefore, EU  has to send to Turkey a clear message : Ankara cannot continue to support 40 000 Soldiers who occupy the northern part of Cyprus contrary to International Law. Turkey cannot continue occupying the city of Famagusta in opposition to UN Resolutions. Turkey cannot continue giving orders to the (Turkish) Settlers at the Occupied Territories of the island, who asphyxiate the Turkish-Cypriot community", denounced Meyer.

- "Turkey will never be able to enter the EU, if it persists in this stance" : This is the "unequivocal message that the EU - the Commission, the Council and this Parliament - must send to Ankara. at this moment of the Talks for the reUnification of Cyprus, which is an EU Member State", concluded the Spanish MEP.

 - "In addition to its Internal Social Problems, Turkey has also a Foreign Policy full of Contradictions : While its Government tries to present itself as if it was compromising, (on the contrary), the Turkish Military appears Aggressive against Greece, violating continuously the Greek AirSpace at the Aegean, and Harassing continuously FRONTEX", criticized Nicolas Salavracos of the EFD Group, from Greece.

- "Turkey threatens Greece with "casus belli" (cause of War) concerning the extension of its territorial waters, despite the fact that they are both NATO Member States, and doesn't accept to recognize the State of Cyprus, an EU Member State", he denounced.

- "The Turkish Government appears, also, unable to guarantee the sovereignity of the People inside the country, while it plans a new kind of Ottoman Comonwealth, as it appeared from a meeting at Sarajevo, last November, with the participation of the Turkish Foreign Minister Mr. Davutoglou. Turkey also makes strange moves, in the opening it tries to do towards Iran, which contradict the views established in the International Community and the EU".

-"And we cannot disregard the fact that, in violation of the "RoadMap", Turkey allows, and might even incite, the Transit of Illegal Immigrants through its territory, towards EU Countries, while it still doesn't comply with its obligation to allow Cyprus' Ships and Airplanes to dock", Salavrakos observed.

- But, "when we (EU) close the door, (of EU Enlargment) we are running the Risk of New Problems, and New Threats to European Values'", claimed Swedish MEP Gunnar Hokmark (EPP), speaking of "Turkey" and "Western Balkans" alike, (as if they were located in the same Continent, with the same Culture, etc..), with the usual "blackmail" argument (Comp. supra), which could be used for any 3rd Country at EU's Neighbourhoud, (fex. Morocco, whose demand for Accession was clearly refused by the EU, while keeping very good and close relations with Rabat, located closer to EU land than Ankara)..

- "If the Cypriot problem is not solved now, the prospects for progress with Turkey’s Accession are Poor", acknowledged British Liberal MEP Andrew Duff, (known for his support to Turkey's controversial EU bid), asking for EU "Commission" to "act now", (i.e. in 2010, after curiously waiting for 35 Years, since the 1974 Turkish Military invasion and occupation of Cyprus' northern territories)..

 - Therefore, "Turkey should send Signals" on Cyprus, where "the Talks between (Cyprus' President) Mr. Christofias and (Turkish Cypriot leader) Mr. Talat are.. at a Critical stage. For them to succeed, a settlement has to be carried by Public Ppinion. Confidence-building is sorely required.  ..So, starting to pull out (Turkish Occupation) troops is a difficult, but Clever, gesture to build up public support in the south and in the north, to show that the prospect of a permanent settlement is actually genuine", the notoriously pro-Turkish British MEP found, showing that EU Parliament 2010 Resolution's call upon Turkey to "immediately start withdrawing troops from Cyprus", was, in fact, a way to help Ankara to give an impression of so-called "good will", (f.ex. by simply withdrawing only a few among the overabundant 40.000 Turkish Occupation troops in Cyprus)...

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Head of Italy's Governing Party MEPs, Mauro : "Prepare Privileged Partnership !"
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Interesting intervention by the Head of Italy's Governing ChristianDemocat/EPP MEPs, Mario Mauro :

- "We (EU Parliament) should speak with Turkey a language of Truth", he promissed from the outset.

 - "EU Parliament is right to strongly denounce the Human Rights' Violations and the Democratic Deficit" in Turkey", stressed Mauro. "The (2010) Oomen-Ruijten Report has a merit : it does not  deny the Difficulties, but takes the (EU) Copenhagen Criteria as a clear benchmark."

 - "But it's not only here that people find this (i.e. Turkey's) Accession demand Paradoxical". In fact, "Now, (i.e. in 2010) many (EU Member States) Governments are promissing in Official meetings, what they are interested to deny in the corridors !", he revealed.

- "Thus, based on the (2010) Oomen-Ruijten Report, I think it's useful to ask to strengthen the elements of a PRIVILEGED PARTNERSHIP"  (instead of Accession) with Turkey, "while we are  waiting  for developments".

 - "This is not prejudging, but linking the issue to     a real and full adoption of  EU's Acquis", (that Turkey appears unable to really fulfill), Mauro concluded.

- "Turkey's demand to join the EU is Controversial", and the New Report of Mrs Oomen-Ruijten is "far more Critical this year (2010)", but "that's normal" ..because "it rightly shows the lack of progress by Turkey, particularly on Human Rights and the Courts. But, last year (2009) there is criticism not only for Stagnation of the Democratisation, but even Regression (Backtracking), in Turkey",  criticized Polish ChristianDemocrat/EPP MEP Jaroslaw Leszek-Walesa.

"Turkey is criticized for Failing to strengthen the Rule of Law, and to reform its Constitution, but it says that it wishes to pursue reforms. However, Ankara still has many Challenges ahead.. which are Not easy. I hope that Turkey will overcome all Obstacles, and wish good luck for the necessary reforms to this country", he simply said.

-  Liberal Dutch MEP Sophia in 't Veld, strongly criticized "many points of Concern (which) must be addressed Urgently" in Turkey, as she stressed :

F.ex. "the Horrible phenomenon of "honour" Kllings must be stamped out, as well as the Killing of transgender persons. Just yesterday, we learned of the umpteenth Killing of a transgender woman in Antalya. The Turkish Government must ensure, as a matter of urgency, that transgender Killings no longer go Unpunished".

- "Furthermore, I appeal once again to the Turkish Government to ensure Freedom of association and put an end to the systematic attempts to Close down LGTB organisations"

- Moreover, "the (EU Parliament's) Resolution rightly Urges Turkey to stop violating Freedom of Religion and Rreedom of Expression. ..these freedoms are at the Heart of our Democracy and are Non-negotiable preConditions for EU membership", (which should be otherwise excluded), she concluded

From all 700+ MEPs, astonishingly, it's only Mr. Dan Preda from Romania (EPP) who found that "according to Oomen Ruijten Report, in 2009 Turkey was .. clearly committed to Reforms and Good Relations with its Neighbours" (sic !), while "authorities encouraged Public Debate" (etc), without finding absolutely nothing to criticize !

Curiously forgetting that his country, Romania, has a 1st class Strategic interest into becoming Leader of Sea - River Ship Energy Transports directly between Europe and Asia, fex. in liquefied Gas, (that Romanian President Basescu strongly supports), on the contrary, he pleaded  only for the ..competing "Nabuco" Anglo-Americano-Turkish controversial, too long, too expensive, too uncertain, and too risky pipeline project (See above), from which Romania cannot hope to have than, perhaps, a small, subordinate part...

Extending the paradox even further, Mr. Dan Preda went as far as to claim that "Turkey is clearly (sic) part of the European Family" (without any explanation), while also being "a Partner in the Dialogue among Civilisations", without realising the Contradiction !..
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Head of Hungary's Governing party, EU Chair from Jan. 2011 : - "Never !"
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Differend, and very interesting intervention by the Head of the Hungarian Governing party MSZP's Delegation to EU Parliament, the politically experienced, former Minister, Sandor Tabajdi, a SocialDemocrat MEP from Hungary which will be EU Chairman next year, from January 2011 :

 - "As far as Turkey is concerned, as long as the Kurds haven't got large Autonomy, as long as Women and sexual Minorities' Rights are not respected, and as long as Turkey doesn't apologize for the Armenian Genocide, Ankara can never become an EU Member !", strongly and clearly stressed Csaba Sandor Tabajdi.

The politically experienced Hungarian MEP underlined, on this occasion, that, as a matter of General Principle, recent History proved that "Minority Problems must be solved before eventual accession into the EU (as, fex. in the Hungarian-Romanian relation). Because afterwards, EU hasn't any efficient tool for that",s (as fex. the Latvian-Russian and the Slovak-Hungarian cases show, on the contrary).
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Turkish-origin MEP from the Bulgarian Opposition (who recently lost the 2009 Elections), Liberal Metin Kazak, naturaly had another opinion :

He attacked against EU Parliament's 2010 Report on Turkey, complaining that he found "a difference" with the previous one, because the New EU Report simply reminded the Problem raised by the "Turkish Settlers" in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, and UNO's well-known call on Turkey to "return Famagusta ghost-town to its lawful inhabitants".

Mr. Metin Kazak, by doing so, obviously forgot that many EU Parliament's Resolutions traditionally denounced also these 2 more failures by Turkey to respect International Law (for Decades, before the notorious pro-Turkish turn of the years 1999-2004, which provoked an unporecedented Stalemate, blocking and delaying EU's Institutional Integration, after 3 "No" from EU Citizens to EuroReferenda between 2005-2007). While even CoE's PanEuropean Assembly has recently condemned Ankara's persisting practice to massively import Turkish Settlers in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus illegaly held by her invasion/occupation Army, (a practice normally punished by the Penal International Court as "War Crime", according to its Statute, that Turkey still refuses to sign). As for the "restitution of Famagusta", contrary to the Turkish-origin MEP's claim that "it should be dealt only .. in the framework of a comprehensive solution of Cyprus' issue" as a whole, (i.e. to be exploited as a negotiation "Chip" by Ankara, according to the traditional Turkey's position), in fact, the relevant UNO's Resolution does NOT raise any of these preconditions..

Concluding, Mr. Kazak preferred to return back to 2004 and evoke an old EU text, which called, according to the Turkish-origin MEP, to "encourage the Economic Development of the Turkish Cypriot Community" in view of "facilitating the reUnification of Cyprus".

"EuroFora" remembers perfectly well an Exclusive Interview that gave us in Strasbourg the then Chairman in office of the EU, Dutch Foreign Minister Botta, who had underlined that such EU moves should "aim towards the Economic Integration of Cyprus as a whole", thus "facilitating also its Political reUnification", (a key-point which entered, afterwards, inside EU's Official Legal Texts, until now). Obviously, any Government of Cyprus is naturally interested in any measure which might be really aiming to help the reUnification of the island, helping to end the Division imposed since the 1974 Turkish Military Invasion and Occupation. So, Nicosia has already accepted EU Funding to Turkish Cypriots even in the Occupied Territories, particularly when it supports projects facilitating reUnification, and opened possibilities for International Trade for Turkish Cypriots through the areas controled by the legitimate Government opf the Country, and not under Foreign Military Occupation. Unless, the Turkish origin MEP might ask to fund only projects which do not facilitate the reUnification of Cyprus, but, on the contrary, its Division...
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- "Turkey has to comply with all its Obligations, as did also all other Candidate Countries", stressed, on the contrary, Greek MEP Maria-Helen Koppa (Socialist Group), defending EU Parliament's Report.

- "But there can't be any "accession à la carte", specialy designed according to Turkey's desiderata", she warned. "Turkey is a big Country, which must admit that the continuation of (Democratic) Reforms, Respect for Human Rights, a serious contribution into solving Cyprus' issue, good Neighborhoud relations, lifting the "casus Belli" against an EU Member Country (Greece), are the steps it has to takie in order to approach the EU", MEP Koppa concluded.
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- "On Turkey, some efforts were made", in the past, "but not any big move, which could allow us to say that Turkey solves its Problems in a Diplomatic way, i.e. f.ex. the withdrawal, or starting to withdraw its troops from a European Country, Cyprus", observed sGreek ChristianDemocrat MEP Marietta Gianakou.

- Former "Green", and recently "Socialist" MEP from Germany, Wolfgang Kreissl-Dörfler, was alone to thank Commissioner Füle for his controversial claim that EU - Turkey Negotiations were for "Accession" and "not for a Privileged Partnership", contrary to EU Council and EU Parliament's decisions during all recent years, which stress that these negotiations are "Open-Ended" and may lead to any outcome, not necessarily accession (See supra).

In this regard, he curiously reminded to German ChristianDemocrat MEPs the "sentence : <<Pacta sund servanda>> (Contracts must be implemented)", that Chancellor Merkel had replied to our Question on Turkey's obligations, at her 1st Press Conference shortly after she became Head of the German Govenment, back on December 1995, at Elysee palace in Paris. In this regard, we are astonished top find that Mr. Kreisslm-Dörfler apparently misunderstood both our Question (which clearly was "if Germany and France, who want a strong Europe, would succeed to make Turkey honour the Commitments it had undertaken vis a vis the EU in order to start negotiations"), and the famous Answer that Chancelor Merkel gave us then, (i.e. that Turkey had, indeed, to "fullfil the agreed commitments").

 - "It's very important also that Turkey still has to settle naturally many problems, ... as on Cyprus' issue, Minority Rights, or Political and Military questions", Kreissl-Dorfler observed.

- "But it's clear that the process is not linear : as experience shows, ... there will always  be .. also Setbacks in Turkey", the German MEP admitted.

- "If Turkey one day fullfils all (EU) Conditions, if (Ankara) can accept the Acquis Communautaire, then, Turkey would become another (differend) Country", he concluded.
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Turkish-origin Socialist MEP from the Netherlands, Emine Bozkurt, appeard anxious only for one point : To change the draft EU Parliament Resolution's initial "call upon Turkey to help for a solution of Cyprus' issue", into a larger call upon ..everyone involved, so that Ankara might hide its responsibilities for an eventual failure..

- "This Parliament should ... find ..solutions to Obstacles.., instead of raising them", Bozkurt also criticized against EU Rapporteur on Turkey, Dutch ChristianDemocrat MEP Ria Oomen-Rujten's draft Resolution, which initially called only upon Turkey to help solve Cyprus' issue.

- "UN SG Ban Ki Moon gave last week to believe that a Cyprus Solution (was) possible, and within reach", she added, apparently sharing Ankara's obvious anxiety that, in the present conditions, if a Solution is not found very Soon,  Turkish Responsibilities might come to the forefront...
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Socialist Lithuanian MEP Justas Paleckis, admitted that "Turkey must accelerate reforms, seek a compromise on the Cyprus problem with more determination, and take further steps on reconciliation with Armenia".

But, he reiterated his "support to the Socialist Group's (Minority) position that the prospect of Turkey's Membership of the EU", as he said, "should not be changed by .. any Ersatz variants", contrary to EU Parliament Majority's votes, and to EU Council's decisions during all recent years, (See supra).
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Spanish MEP Francisco Millan-Mon, Bureau Member of the largest Group of MEPs (ChristianDemocrats/EPP), speaking on Turkey's controversial EU bid, warned that "we can neither forget the  Integration capacity of the Union (a Condition put by EU Council after Debates on Turkey, even if for all Candidates), neither the necessary Communication with the Citizens on the Enlargement", (particularly after 3 "No" to EuroReferenda in France, Holland and Ireland, which blocked EU Institution's development after Popular reactions against EU - Turkey Negotiations)...

- "In the case of Turkey, I want to underline, especially, the Need to maintain and even accelerate (Democratic) Reforms, needed also for Turkey itself". Moreover, "in principle,  any candidate country should resolve .. the Territorial Conflicts  that it has with (EU) Member States, in order not to hinder ..EU's proper functioning",  (as f.ex. vis a vis Cyprus and Greece for Turkey), the mainstream Spanish MEP observed.

- "But,  last autumn (2009) I was surprised by some too favorable gestures of the Turkish Government to ...the Iranian authorities". But, "the Foreign Policy of any Candidate country should align itself on that of the EU", he criticized.

- "Finally, last week I read an interview of the Turkish Minister on EU issues, from which I deduced that Ankara suppressed the Visa to countries as Syria, Lebanon and Libya.  This suprised me, because any candidate country should align also its Visa policy to that of the EU,  and not go towards a Contrary way", Milan-Mos denounced, asking to "check" this disturbing news from Turkey.   
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- "In the on-going Cyprus' Talks, Turkey, via Mr. Talat, presents Unacceptable proposals, and remains Intransigeant and Maximalistic", denounced Cypriot MEP Antigoni Pericleous-Papadopoulou, of the Governing Coalition (DHKO party, former Liberal, now SocialDemocrat Group).  "That's why it would be unjust to ask all involved parties to support the negotiations", while, on the contrary, "it's on Turkey, the Occupying power, that Pressure must be exerted".

- "Turkey must immediately withdraw all the Turkish troops, to stop the Occupationand cease keeping the Turkish Cypriot Community as hostage, because it's Ankara who is, in fact, responsible for the so-called "isolation" of the Turkish Cypriots, and not Cyprus' Government", she explained.

- "Turkey must restitute the fenced City of Varosha, to stop the illegal Settlers, and the usurpation of Greek Cypriot Refugees' Properties", the Cyprus' MEP denounced.

- "Turkey holds the keys for a solution of Cyprus' issue". "Small Cyprus doesn't ask anything more, and anything less, than a Solution compatible with EU's Acquis without Derogations, and with UNO's Resolutions. Cypriots aren't second-class Citizens of some Ottoman or other Colonialism. We are EU Citizens, with EU Rights", she stressed.
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Turkish-origin "Socialist" MEP from Germany, Ismail Ertug, accused the EU to practice a "Double Morality" on Turkey and to be "ambivalent" on Cyprus' issue, "avoiding things, simply because (EU) found them distasteful", as he curiously claimed, without giving a,ny explanation.

- "Certainly, the Ankara Protocol (which stops Turkey's obstruction of Cyprus' related Ships and Airplanes)" must be applied also to Cyprus", he admitted, concerning the crystal-clear commitment (to stop discriminatory obstruction of Cyprus-related Ships and Airplanes), officially undertaken by Turkey on 2005 in order to start EU Negotiations.

But Ertug (copying Ankara's claims) tried to unilateraly link to that point, the differend, controversial and rather vague issue of the so-called "isolation" of the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, as the Turkish lobby usually calls Ankara's peristent (since 2000 !) demand to impose a kind of Secessionist, "Direct Trade" to the Occupied area, which would be not only politically dangerous, (because it would provoke separate interests, contrary to EU's official aim to act for the reUnification of Cyprus), but also illegal, under International Law and contrary to UNO's Resolutions, as EU Member Cyprus firmly notes.  Turkey has notoriously attempted to blackmail the EU by threatening to never fullfil its obligation to lift any discriminatory obstructions  incompatible with EU - Turkey Customs Union, unless EU obeys to Ankara's desiderata on the Occupied Territories of Cyprus..

- "I'm glad that the South (as he called the Free Areas, controlled by Cyprus' Government), supports the North" (as he called the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, controlled by Ankara's foreign army), added Ertug, (probably observing the agreement of Cyprus' Government for EU Funds to Turkish Cypriots even inside the Occupied Territories, as long as they really aim to help the Economic Integration of the island in order to facilitate its reUnification, as well as the opening of the "Green Line" and of Cyprus' Legal Seaports at the Free areas for Foreign Trade to Turkish Cypriots, added to inter-communal trade facilitation). "But .. he intention" of a 2004 EU reference to contribute to end isolation, (meanwhile addressed at least by the above-mentioned 3 measures, etc), "wasn't that", claimed Ertug, demanding from the EU to "overcome the last hurdle", as he probably called the above-mentioned secessionist Ankara's demand, which persists since at least 2000, (i.e. long before the 2004 events)..

- But, meanwhile, "there is no Time to be lost in making Turkey start pulling its Troops  out of Cyprus, and implementing the Ankara Protocol (on stopping "ban of Cyprus' related Ships and Airplanes)", stressed mainstream Estonian MEP Tunne Kelam, Bureau Member of the largest Group (ChristianDemocrats/EPP).

- Moreover, "I think this could be seen as a Condition for proceeding with (EU - Turkey) Negotiations", declared the mainstream MEP, obviously hinting that, otherwise, Negotiations with Ankara should be Suspended...

 - "As for myself, I could feel comfortable with Turkish accession (only) when it will be as easy to build a Christian Church in Ankara,  as it is to erect a Mosque in Brussels !", Top MEP Kelam concluded, apparently leaving few hopes to Turkey's controversial EU bid...
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- "On Turkey, usually, people speak about Ethnic Conflicts - and rightly so, because are many things to complain about.  But what is usually overlooked is that in Turkey there are also Significant Problems with Trade Union rights and Worker's rights", denounced   German MEP Jürgen Klute of the EuroLeft Group,

- Indeed, "the Turkish government is still opposing - even with Police Force - Trade Unions from freely campaigning for the workers. It happened again recently in the industrial workers of Tekel", fex. But, on the contrary, "a Democratic Society includes also Worker and Trade Union's rights", and this goes also for the EU's social model.

- Moreover, "there are approximately 500 000 people in Tobacco cultivation in the Southeast" (i.e. mainly Kurdish) areas of Turkey, "who have lost their Jobs, in recent years", and "at the moment, there are 12.000  on Strike - among Tekel-Workers who are likely to lose their Jobs, or have already lost them, as a result of Privatizations" by the Turkish Government, he criticized.

- "If such Privatization continues" in Turkey,  "to the extent that jobs are broken down and industries destroyed, People's consentn to EU membership will simply drop  in Turkey ", he warned.
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- The new "Turkey's Report is not a "Progress" Report, but a Shortcomings' Report !", denounced from the outset, non-aligne MEP Andreas Moelzer from Austria.
F.ex. :

- "EU asked Turkey to do more for the rights of minorities, but instead of solving the Kurdish issue, as previously promised, Turkey baned the Kurdish party DTP"..

- "For the 4rth consecutive Year, the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Association Agreement is not been implemented", and Turkey demands  to the big EU Member States to solve the Cyprus problem"..

- But "the highly anticipated Talks at the Mediterranean island, are certainly no cause for celebration, because the recent Turkish Cypriot proposal is contrary to the agreed framework on several points, so it is more likely to be a Retrograde (Backward) step", the Austrian MEP criticized.

- So, "Turkey is not part of Europe, neither GeoPolitically, nor Spiritually, or Culturally",  since Human Rights, Méinority Rights and International Law are still Unknown to them", Andreas Moelzer concluded.

 - In consequence, "the only Honest reply that would respect EU Citizens' will, is  to STOP  the  (EU - Turkey) Negotiations, and work towards a Privileged Partnership", he proposed, (backing an Amendment apready lodged for that purpose).
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- "Yesterday EU Parliament debated the .. crucial Financial situation faced by Greece, and other difficulties by EuroZone countries, and today we are debating about Turkey's EU bid : These 2 debates are partly linked, .. because Greece is obliged to spend escessively on Defence, paying more than 5% of its GDP in Military funds, the greatest part of which is due to the need to face the policies of a neighbouring country as Turkey", revealed the Greek MEP Georges Koumoutsakos, from the ChristianDemocrats/EPP.

Because "there is an Official Turkish Policy threatening War against Greece - the well known "Casus Belli"" over the Aegean Sea borders. "And this isn't only words : It's also an Everyday Practice, with Violations" of FIR, "and OverFlights even of Inhabited Greek Isla    nds at the Eastern Aegean", he denounced.

- "This must stop. EU Parliament must send a strong message to Ankara on that", the Greekl MEP added, referring to a relevant point in the Resolution (See supra).

- "It's only if there is an amelioration on this, and, of course, all the other obligations undertaken by Turkey, that there might be a new impetus in Turkey's road towards the EU, Kumutsakos concluded, clearly meaning that, on the contrary, this should be excluded.
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- "Turkey won't cease to have a heavy Democratic Deficit, to brutally violate Human Rights of Millions of People, and to continue its Military Occupation in Cyprus, an EU Member Country, whatever Resolution we might vote", said Helen Thecharous, from Cyprus' biggest party (ChristianDemocrat/EPP)

- "However, on Cyprus, some insist to find equal Responsibilities to the Aggressor and to his Victim. It's wrong to accept a Crime and Armed Violence, and to call upon "all parties involved", to do what ? "It's not rights to speak, inside this Shrine of Democracy, EU Parliament, with such anti-deontologic (Separatist) terms as "North", "South" Cyprus, and to claim that there are so-called "Elections in Northern Cyprus", (i.e. in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus controlled by Ankara's Foreign Invasion Army), where 70% of the so-called "Electoral corps" are illegal Settlers" from Anatolia, she criticized.

More important : - "It's clear that, if a "Solution" does not respect the Human Rights of Citizens, then, it's all the European system of Values which is put into Danger", MEP Theocharous warned, obviously warning about Refugees, and "Missing" persons' rights, which have notoriously be at the base of many important ECHR's case-law developments, well known Worldwide.

- "Talks are, naturally, continuing. But they are in Deadlock, because of the Maximalistic revendications of Turkey. That's why we (EU Parliament) are calling now Turkey to facilitate the negotiation's proces with 2 obvious acts : 1st, to immediately start withdrawing the Occupation Army, and, 2nd, to return the occupied town of Famagusta to its lawful inhabitants", (according to UNO's Resolutions), Theocharouss concluded.

- Stronger worded, the vice-President of EU Parliament's Human Rights Committee, Mrs Laima Andrikienė, from Lithuania (ChristianDemocrats/EPP), stressed that "we must make it clear to our Turkish "partnets", that it's very Difficult to (even) speak about Turkey's European Integration, as long as  Problems related to Turkey's Religious and Ethnic Minorities are not solved" yet. ...

- Because "Turkey still has some very Serious Problems in the area of Human Rights. One of the outstanding issues" concerns "ethnic and religious minorities : Kurds, Christians, Alevis, and others", who "are suffering from constant Violations of their rights", EU Parliament's Human Rights Committee's vice-President denounced.

- Moreover, Turkey's shortcomings about "Cyprus and Greece are, and will remain, of the outmost importance to the EU", she added.

- "EU should act inside the framework of UNO's decisions", stressed experienced Cyprus' MEP Kyriakos Mavronicolas, former Minister of Defence, currently of the Socialist Group, reacting to "some claims about a so-called "isolation" issue for Turkish Cypriots" in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus held by Ankara's invasion Army, (as Turkish origin MEP Ertug had demanded : See supra). "This means that the illegal entity of the Occupied Territories cannot be recognized, and that any aid should be given through the Legitimate Government" of Cyprus, "as it's being done". *

- But, most of all, "we need clear (EU) messages to Turkey, taking into account that (Ankara) hasn't yuet done any concrete move for the solution of the problems". F.ex. - "Turkey has to withdraw her (Occupation) Army, so that this big Obstacle to all efforts to ease the Difficulties of contacts with Turkish Cypriots" in the Occupied Territories of Cyprus, "could be lifted", Mavronicolas concluded.

- "Ankara's Government has great Difficulties .. to make efforts for Democracy and Human Rights", observed  Polish MEP Konrad Szymański (from the ECR Group).

  - "But there is also ..a Problem of Religious Freedom, which in Turkey is still restricted, especially against Christians", he denounced. F. ex., "in Turkey, there are stil Problems with obtaining Legal Personality for Religious Communities", and they "still have  ..serious Problems with the recovery of Confiscated Property". The Christian orthodox "Ecumenical Patriarchate has limited rights in the Training of clergy and the patriarch's Election", Szymański denounced.

- "We are Now in a position where the whole European situation is about to crumble, with the Euro"Zone Financial problems, "and so forth. The addition of Turkey joining will just make matters far, far Worse", warned John Bulton, British MEP from the "Freedom and Democracy" EFD Group, (whose party, UKIP,  has just become the 2nd biggest in the UK after the June 2009 EU Parliament Elections, when it campaigned against Ankara's controversial EU bid, outpassing even the Liberal and the Labour parties)..

- "I fear that, Turkey joining, will be the Straw that breaks the Camel’s back" : "If Turkey joins, 70 million People will be allowed to come into the UK", which "is full. We have Millions of people Unemployed. The Pressure on our Public Services is incredible"; Therefore, "the thought of Turkey joining, is not on, at all", he observed.

- "We have been denied a Choice. The people in our country have been denied a Vote" .. "We certainly need a Discussion..". "Take it from me, as a person from Wales in the UK, we just do NOT want Turkey to join !", Bulton stressed.

 - "We have to clear up a Fundamental Question, in connection with Turkey's accession bid" : - "What is EU for us ? Do we want to keep our common European Values also in the Future ? This is important, because it's about Europe's Cultural Heritage. These Values are based upon Christian ideas, independently of Religion", stressed the Romanian non-aligned MEP Zoltán Balczó, from the Hungarian minority.

 - "If the Answer is "Yes", then, Turkey is not even eligible in the EU !". So, "we'd better aim for a "Best Partner" contract with them", he proposed.

- "Otherwise, such an accession (by Turkey) would even set a Precedent : F.ex. also Israel and other Countries may search to enter into the EU too, Balczó warned...

  - "More and more facts show that Ankara redefines its place in a Global system, where EU membership  is not a priority for it. The abolition of Visas for Jordany, Libya, Iran, Syria, etc., tightening relations with Israel but also Sudan, the signing of an agreement ..with Armenia, but the blockade vis a vis Cyprus - all this shows that Ankara increasingly is focused on ..its neighbors, even at the expense of weakening ..EU negotiations", said Polish MEP   Danuta Jazłowiecka, (ChristianDemocrats/EPP).

    According to some reports by certain groups, 2009 was due to be decisive for Turkey's EU bid : In order either to make a breakhrough in negotiations, or to break the talks. A risk is to arrive in a situation where Turkey might become less willing than the EU to advance in EU negotiations.  Thus, I ask to re-define Turkey's prospects vis a vis the EU, she concluded.

    Swedish MEP Alf Svensson (ChristianDemocrats /EPP), stressed that Turkey onbviously needs much more Efforts, fex.  on Freedom of Expression, Freedom of Religion, etc.

    - "When we speak about EU - Turkey links, they eare also a bridge between the EU and a whole Region" around Turkey (i.e. from the Middle East to Central Asia), he concluded.

 - "Today's debate showed that ...the EU Parliament's Members have Different views on Turkey", observed Lithuanian MEP Zigmantas Balčytis (EPP).

 - But, "recent events, as the Prohibition of Political Parties, raise concern, and don't showTurkey's commitment  to respect civil and political freedoms and rights", he denounced.

 - "We (EU) expect from Turkey to review its actions", he concluded.

    Dutch, non-aligned MEP Barry Madlener, referred to the recent "Horrible honour killing in Turkey", and asked for an "Investigation on the whole issue of so-called "honour" killings related to Turkey, because there are similar problems in the Netherlands, in Germany, etc., (where a large number of Turkish-origin immigrants live the latest Decade) and probably what we see is only the tip of the iceberg", he warned.
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    After such a Debate, new EU Commissioner on Enlargement and Neighborhoud policy, Stefan Füle, felt obliged to promise anew a "Strict commitment to the Copenhagen criteria", because "they are Non-negotiable", and  "to fundamental freedoms and rights, including  Religious and Minority rights and of course Women’s rights". And "I will never underestimate the issue of (EU's) Integration capacity", he promised to critical MEPs.

- "On Turkey, we are all aware that we do Not have an Easy way ahead of us, ...as was clearly stated by many during the debate", Füle was obliged to note...

 - "I remain Concerned about Restrictions on Press Freedom and media pluralism. Further legal amendments are needed to protect journalists, human rights activists and politicians from prosecution and conviction for the expression of non-violent opinion", he stressed.

- "In response to a specific question" from MEPs, Fule added that he was  "aware of the recent developments concerning Turkey's lifting of Visa requirements for Lebanon and Syria. The Commission’s Director-General responsible for these issues will be in Ankara next week for talks", and "this will be one of the issues he will discuss ...and.. will report", he promised.

But, for the rest, Füle remained on the same line as his predecessor, Oli Rehn, about "supporting" what he insisted to call "accession (sic) negotiations" with Turkey, (contrary to EU Council and EU Parliament's repeated decisions during all recent years, which, on the contrary, speak only about "Open-Ended" negotiations  (See supra).

As if nothing someone made him believe that nothing hasn't changed in the EU since 2004... (Comp. supra).