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Franco-German stand on Turkey soon

By Vaiju Naravane

Paris Dec. 5. The French President, Jacques Chirac, and the German Chancellor, Gerhard Schroeder, announced they would present a joint Franco-German position on the critical question of Turkey's membership of the European Union at next week's European summit in Copenhagen. Showing caution they did not mention a calendar.

Turkey has long been knocking on Europe's door for entry into the exclusive club that will be opened to ten new countries — eight from central and eastern Europe and two from the Mediterranean. But doors that have opened to Prague, Warsaw, Budapest and other capitals have remained shut to Ankara. Turkish leaders said they will not settle for anything less from the E.U.'s Copenhagen summit next week than a firm date for opening membership.

The Turkish Prime Minister, Abdullah Gul, speaking after the Franco German summit on Wednesday said: "There is a general belief that Turkey is a Muslim country and that whatever it does it will not be able to accede to the E.U. What matters for us is a definite date for talks and Turkey deserves this. We do not want to get less than that.''

Turkey has long been promised membership, but has seen its hopes wax and wane with European leaders cautious about allowing a predominantly Muslim country into what is seen as an association of nations anchored in the Judaeo-Christian tradition. Europe has said a Turkey that continued have the death penalty on its statute books could not be allowed in. There have been widespread allegations of Ankara's mistreatment and persecution of the Kurdish community. Ankara has promised to undertake reforms to fall in line with other E.U. nations.

The attacks on the twin towers have dealt a severe blow to Turkish hopes of ever joining the E.U. and the election of what many feel is a camouflaged pro-Islamic Government in Ankara have further heightened suspicions of the Turks. Valery Giscard d'Estaing the former French President who now heads the European Convention seeking to reform the E.U. said last month that Turkey did not share European values and was outside Europe.

Turkey's new leader, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, of the AK Party, believed by many to be an Islamic party disguised as a conservative secular party said his country would "not accept `a date for a date' or `a conditional date' ''

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