European Movement's position

The European Movement (Malta) has said time and again that it supports Turkey's EU membership as long as the latter implements the changes bringing it in line with the rest of the EU. We think Turkey should be given a fair chance. The decision to start negotiations with Turkey is the most significant taken yet.

It promises to bring an economically dynamic and relatively young country into a demographically old Europe. It will show the world that Muslims and Christians can live together in the same democratic house. It will show that democracy and economic development can flourish in the Muslim world without the need for the use of arms.

But we must place a special premium on the implementation of human rights and democratic freedoms, particularly on the respect of minorities. And we have to show Turkey that we are dead serious about the need for these reforms.

We are watching carefully how Ankara treats minorities, such as the Kurds, and small states such as Cyprus. In our last issue of Our Europe we expressed our disgust at Turkey's declaration on Cyprus after the signing of the agreement extending the EU-Turkey customs union to the 10 new member states.

That Turkish declaration should have served as a sufficient reason for delaying the start of negotiations. It would have driven home to Turkey that no slipping back on the conditions adopted by the EU Council last December regarding the negotiations will be tolerated.

We are baffled as to why Turkey does not wish to cure its Cypriot hangover quickly; why it does not opt to disentangle itself from this problem quickly.

Turkey must understand that the conditions agreed by the EU Council last December are not ornamental - they are not simply sops to a disgruntled EU public so that Turkey can be slipped into the EU willy nilly. It seems that Ankara is testing the EU's resolve and each time it finds it hesitant.

The declaration of the Commission President reproduced in this page is reassuring. But it also betrays the deep European concern that when push comes to shove the EU may not be willing to be tough.

An Islamic Turkey joining the EU is not such a big concern for us as long as the country has implemented fully the values of the EU based on democracy and the rule of law.

What worries us is that a country (whether Muslim, Christian or Jewish) that has not fully implemented these values is allowed in despite its lack of compliance.

If Turkey implements the necessary changes, this will not only be good for the EU, but also for Turkish citizens themselves who will enjoy more freedom.