Following the spotlight recently placed on Istanbul and Ankara by the Middle East, Europe and the US, New Europe sat down with one of Brussels’ newest political figures. Kader Sevinc CHP Representative to the EU of the Republican People’s Party of Turkey took some time to talk to Alia Papageorgiou at her office overlooking the Schuman Rond Point a week after appointment, on why the party she belongs to, the main opposition party in Turkey, needed to bring their game to Brussels. Explain for our readers who CHP is and what the background behind this office is? CHP is the main opposition party; it is Turkey’s social democratic party. We’re the oldest party in Turkey and member of the Socialist International. We’re here in Brussels to explain our policies, to monitor the EU process and to communicate with the EU institutions and public. Our party was founded in 1923 having the same age as our Republic. We opened this office last July. Why we opened this representation as a main opposition party of Turkey? Because we thought that Turkey needs more support, more promotion and communication in Brussels. We have a role and a responsibility in the Turkey’s EU membership process. We believe that Turkey will soon be a member of the European Union. Turkey should fulfill the European Union criteria. We have to upgrade our democracy to level of the 21st century European standards. It is also about a Turkey which will better contribute to European polices in the fields such as energy, social development, world trade, information society and climate change …
What do the people of Turkey think of the European entry? Is it a conflicting issue, is it an infringement on the way of life that they have enjoyed so far? -A determining factor is the way you formulate the question. If you’re raising the question in a way which does not give the guarantee that a Turkey which will be fulfilling all the EU criteria can still be rejected, Turkish people are responding at the levels of 60 percent sometimes 65 percent negatively. They think, “We don’t want that kind of membership process. if you don’t want us, we don’t want you. We can continue our way.” There is no concrete benefit from the membership process. But, if you’re asking a question in stressing the fact that the EU membership will be the corollary of Turkey’s transformation into a European democracy and economy, then around 70-80 percent of the Turkish people are in favor. With Turkey’s EU membership process, the determining factor is how you’re asking the question to the Turkish people. Turkey seems to be at a point where it is needed. America wants something, Russia wants something, everyone seems to want something at the moment. What is the Turkish stance on this political equation? -Well international relations are mostly based on this realism. Each country is looking for, fighting for, and seeking its benefits and interests. This is the case for the European countries, as well as for all other countries from the Middle East to Americas and East Asia, and for Turkey as well. Turkey is also seeking its own benefit from the European Union membership process to be a more competitive society globally. In this respect Turkey’s relations with USA or Russia may create a synergy to enhance its position in Europe. Was your party happy with Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan’s actions in the last month and his vocal reactions to what happened in Gaza? -Prime Minister Erdogan is pretty traditional on some ways. Turkey is elected member of the UN Security Council. And as a member of this council Turkey, in our view, should keep its independent role apart from the private positions. Of course we understand his reaction; our party also has clear reactions on what happened tragically and unjustly to the Palestinian people. What we don’t agree with is his style; it’s not a European style in our view, it is not diplomatic. It did seem to resonate well with the media though in shock factor terms at least? -Yes but it is temporary. In Turkey we reacted negatively as did other opposition parties. Turkish diplomacy has a well defined position and a style. When PM Erdogan spoke in Brussels at the European Policy Centre , the atmosphere was similar. He was very sharp – we don’t think this sharpened position works very well in international relations in the mid-term. We think that Turkey is a very important country in its region. Geographically very strategic and it should be a balancing country we should seek a consensus in our region. From what I understand the European Parliament has passed a recommendation or a request from Turkey to withdraw its troops from Cyprus by November and let the people decide for themselves the future of the island without a military presence. What is your position on this? Turkey and the Turkish people living in Northern Cyprus already said “yes” to the peace, to Europe and to the re-unification of the island. This was the UN peace plan which was also explicitly supported by the EU. The “no” answer came from the Greek side of the island. Following an unsuccessful case of conflict resolution, the UN plan which was also solving the problem of military presence in Cyprus was not adopted. We should now focus on the actual peace process, on how can we handle it internationally and which stakeholders can put their efforts towards achieving this goal. Do you think that the fact that Talat and Christofias (leaders of both sides of the island) meet every week is a very small step to something that will take longer to resolve? Actually we don’t have concrete information, about how these negotiations are going. We just hope that they will reach a consensus on the base of the agreement which was defined in the Kofi Annan plan with a bi-zonal and bi-communitarian approach
How has the economic crisis affected Turkey so far? -Yes, it has started to hurt Turkey very significantly. Particularly in unemployment. Turkish financial system was solid but the international depression inevitably hits Turkey too. What was the story behind the IMF loan refusal that recently made the media? I read that the IMF offered a loan last week and Turkey refused the loan believing this would be worse for the country? -Yes, you’re right; we don’t have any information on why our government is refusing because they’re not informing us. In fact they’re not informing the opposition party on many issues like the EU membership process, and other issues on significant matters. But we see certain indicators, such as the unemployment rate is around 13 percent, and the fall in industrial production is around 21 percent and in the automotive sector production fall is at almost 60 percent. These are very risky facts. We published our tangible recommendations for the government on how to fight against the impact of the global economic crisis, on how to protect the country while avoiding protectionism; but actually we couldn’t have any positive response from the government party. Our Prime Minister Mr. Erdogan commented on our economic recovery plan saying “Don’t give me any opinion about this, how I can handle the country, how I can manage the country.” In Turkey we are now in election time, local elections are set to take place on March 29. Everybody is focused on local elections but we have a difference. Our president Mr Baykal was here just at the beginning of the month and started his campaign from Brussels with a meeting with President Jose Barroso, Commissioner Rehn, The European Parliament and the ETUC (European Labor Unions Confederation). This was a first I believe. How do you see the accession process to the EU from your side? There are some that say the final step will never happen, so why is it important that even local election campaigns are begun here in Brussels? -Turkey is very slow in the membership process in the reform process, that’s true, and also on the European Union side there was no motivation. This is against the common European interests and requirement of visionary policies for both sides to face the challenges of the 21st century from security, to economics and energy … But do you see this as a slow political movement within the country or as a slow reconciliation of what the European Council can accept as regards to another possible enlargement? We believe that EU reforms are for the best of our country: the independence of the judiciary, environmental rules, trade unions law in Turkey in line with ILO standards are examples of very important reforms for our society’s future. At the end of the process Turkey will be ready for the EU membership and will make the EU a stronger political and economic actor. This is why actual political obstacles will become irreverent.
http://www.neurope.eu/articles/93567.php