War Would Delay Turkeys EU Membership
Lagendijk attended the "Turkey in Light of Recent Developments - European Union Relations" meeting organized by the Heinrich Boll Foundation.
Ali Yurttagul, speaker of the Greens at the European Parliament, was another attendant at the meeting directed by the Heinrich Boll Foundation Turkey representative Fugen Ugur. During his speech, Lagendijk especially focused on Turkey's efforts to comply with the EU criteria, a possible U.S.-led war on Iraq, the Kurdish problem, and the Cyprus problem:
The intellectuals should go to court in 2004
* We have given Turkey two years to see the implementation of the laws that were passed by the parliament. Two years is not long, and we feel it is necessary.
* If we look at what happened during the two months after the Copenhagen Summit, we can see that everyone is quite pleased with the Justice and Development Party (AKP). We can also see that the AKP is spending efforts to get the new laws implemented.
* At the end of the year 2004, the journalists and intellectuals should go to court. Freedom of expression should be attained. It was important that AKP announced zero tolerance for torture. But we will look at the implementation.
* Everyone was pleased with the amendments to the laws concerning minorities. But only two hours were spared for their programs on the state television. This was not what the European Parliament expected. We cannot make do with this.
The military's power is unacceptable
* I find the Turkish military's power unacceptable. The EU will not accept a country where the military is so powerful. We will be watching whether or not AKP will be able to implement the reforms despite the military. But a possible war will make it very difficult to diminish the power of the military.
* Many EU countries see Turkey as U.S.' Trojan horse. The Turkish government is against this war but it has to give support to the U.S. because of the pressures it faces.
* I believe that the president -elect Tassos Papasopoulos in south Cyprus will, in the short run, make a solution in Cyprus more difficult. AKP wants a solution in Cyprus but faces pressure from the military. If there is no solution in Cyprus before 2004, this will be held against Turkey. I believe the Annan plan is the most acceptable plan. So I plea Prime Minister Abdullah Gul and AKP leader Recep Tayyip Erdogan; Try to solve this problem right after the Iraqi crisis.
A conflict in the Southeast will take Turkey back
* I hope the recent positive developments in the Southeast will not be altered. A conflict between the Kurdish population of the Southeast and the Turkish army would take Turkey back a couple of steps.
The reforms may be delayed because of a possible war. If serious problems arise because of this war, the 2004 date could be extended. Turkey-EU relations would be harmed if Turkey's progress report in 2004 were not a positive one.
Nimet Tanrikulu, the head of the Tunceli Culture and Solidarity Association, criticized the Manzur dam project at the end of the meeting. Tanrikulu asked for support to "prevent the building of this dam which will have no contribution to Turkey's energy necessities. (HA/BB/EA/NM)