PES Leaders statement on Turkey adopted by PES Presidency
on 9 December 2004
Turkey belongs to the European Region. For the PES, the most important task for the 21st century will be to create real conditions for a peaceful and democratic development of the Mediterranean region.
The recent Communication of the European Commission on “Turkey’s progress towards accession” has paved the way for further development with concrete commitments.
The document issued by the European Commission answers the concerns of the PES in a constructive way, in relation to our commitments and our responsibility to ordinary citizens around Europe.
The PES supports the opening of negotiations between Turkey and the EU and supports the European Commission’s observations and guidelines which stipulates that “This is an open-ended process whose outcome cannot be guaranteed beforehand”1. Turkey as every candidate country for membership of the European Union must comply with all the political, economic and institutional criteria set in Copenhagen 1993. It is fundamentally important that this new process is implemented so that it actively contributes to the continuous modernisation of Turkey, while at the same time respecting freedom of religious choice. The PES has always stood for an active mutual coexistence.
The PES stresses the principles of good-neighbourly relations and of peaceful settlement of disputes in accordance with the United Nations Charter.
In the context of the broader Cyprus issue, the PES calls on Turkey to maintain its constructive attitude in finding a settlement of the Cyprus question on the basis of the relevant UN resolutions and the acquis communautaire, which includes recognition by Turkey of the Republic of Cyprus and an early withdrawal of its occupying forces according to a specific timetable.
The PES will set up a High Level Advisory Group composed of senior PES politicians that will accompany the upcoming process. This High Level Advisory Group will also be supported by a large network of PES Members from each National Parliament, Party representatives and representatives of the PES Group in the European Parliament.
The “PES High Level Advisory Group for Turkey” will have the role of reporting to the PES Presidency on Turkey’s negotiation progress, its national political situation, respect for Human Rights and minority rights, equal treatment between man and women, as well as on Turkey’s external relations with EU-Member States and third countries.
It will provide the PES with the latest information on developments and allow regular updates on progress in close collaboration with PES members in Turkey. The first task of the “PES High Level Advisory Group for Turkey” will be to widen contacts with political and social actors in Turkey. A PES delegation will make visit to Turkey in the near future.
