hawarameen
24th March 2003, 00:49
EU to Rethink Turkey's Membership if it Enters Kurdistan: Belgian FM
BRUSSELS, March 23 (AFP) The European Union will reconsider its position on Turkey's admission to its ranks if Ankara intervenes in the Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq, Belgium's foreign minister warned on Sunday.
"Very strong pressure must be put on Turkey to let it know that taking such action will be a determining factor in refusing it entry to Europe," Louis Michel said on RTL-TV television channel.
"It is unthinkable Turkey should join Europe if it goes into Kurdistan," the minister said.
Turkey is keen to join the EU of which Belgium is a member, and has been an official membership candidate since 1999.
Last December the EU decided to wait for two years before evaluating Turkey's progress on democratic reforms and deciding whether to start membership talks.
Michel also warned intervention in Kurdistan would raise question marks over NATO's agreement to help boost Turkey's defences against a possible military threat from Iraq.
Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt warned Saturday that if Turkey invaded northern Iraq, "we will have to review measures we have taken within
NATO was plunged into crisis last month after members France, Belgium and Germany refused to agree to a US request to boost Turkey's defences, arguing that to do so would be to follow the "logic of war."
NATO finally agreed the help for Ankara, including AWACS surveillance planes and Patriot anti-missile systems, in what were described as strictly defensive measures.
NATO hammered out a face-saving accord after a week of crisis triggered by a triple veto by NATO members Belgium, France and Germany, who argued that offering Turkey protection would amount to accepting the United States' "logic of war," and would send a wrong signal while diplomacy continued.
Turkey denied Saturday sending forces into Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, but insisted its army was ready to intervene in the region despite opposition from the United States and European allies.
The Turkish parliament authorized the government last Thursday to send troops into northern Iraq, where Ankara fears that any Kurdish move for full autonomy could re-ignite an insurgency among Turkey's own sizeable Kurdish community.
Copyright © 2002, Kurdistan Observer | Designed by Zine Sano
BRUSSELS, March 23 (AFP) The European Union will reconsider its position on Turkey's admission to its ranks if Ankara intervenes in the Kurdish enclave in northern Iraq, Belgium's foreign minister warned on Sunday.
"Very strong pressure must be put on Turkey to let it know that taking such action will be a determining factor in refusing it entry to Europe," Louis Michel said on RTL-TV television channel.
"It is unthinkable Turkey should join Europe if it goes into Kurdistan," the minister said.
Turkey is keen to join the EU of which Belgium is a member, and has been an official membership candidate since 1999.
Last December the EU decided to wait for two years before evaluating Turkey's progress on democratic reforms and deciding whether to start membership talks.
Michel also warned intervention in Kurdistan would raise question marks over NATO's agreement to help boost Turkey's defences against a possible military threat from Iraq.
Belgian Prime Minister Guy Verhofstadt warned Saturday that if Turkey invaded northern Iraq, "we will have to review measures we have taken within
NATO was plunged into crisis last month after members France, Belgium and Germany refused to agree to a US request to boost Turkey's defences, arguing that to do so would be to follow the "logic of war."
NATO finally agreed the help for Ankara, including AWACS surveillance planes and Patriot anti-missile systems, in what were described as strictly defensive measures.
NATO hammered out a face-saving accord after a week of crisis triggered by a triple veto by NATO members Belgium, France and Germany, who argued that offering Turkey protection would amount to accepting the United States' "logic of war," and would send a wrong signal while diplomacy continued.
Turkey denied Saturday sending forces into Kurdish-controlled northern Iraq, but insisted its army was ready to intervene in the region despite opposition from the United States and European allies.
The Turkish parliament authorized the government last Thursday to send troops into northern Iraq, where Ankara fears that any Kurdish move for full autonomy could re-ignite an insurgency among Turkey's own sizeable Kurdish community.
Copyright © 2002, Kurdistan Observer | Designed by Zine Sano