Rightist European parties vows to push referendum on Turkey's EU accession

[Onur]

Far-right parties oppose EU membership for Turkey

Several far-right parties that oppose Turkish membership in the European Union said Saturday they will push for an EU referendum on the subject.

Turkey began accession talks in 2005, but has made little progress, due mostly to a dispute over Cyprus — an EU member that is divided between the ethnic Greek south and Turkish north.

Austrian Freedom Party chief Heinz-Christian Strache and members of Belgium's nationalist Flemish Interest Party, the Sweden Democrats and the Danish People's Party, among others, said Turkey has no place in Europe and that citizens should be allowed to weigh in on the matter.

"We are all simply of the firm opinion that Europe would go dramatically astray if one starts taking in non-European countries as members," Strache said. "It would be the end of the European Union, it would be the beginning of a Euro-Asian-African union that would stand in complete opposition to the European peace project and therefore can't be allowed to happen."

Strache and others spoke to reporters the sidelines of a two-day meeting aimed at boosting the parties' coordination. It comes amid a recent resurgence of support for right-wing parties across the continent.

Morten Messerschmidt of the Danish People's Party, who also is a member of the European Parliament, said the parties would use the so-called citizens' initiative included in the EU's new Lisbon Treaty to "suggest to have a referendum from Romania to Denmark, from Italy to Finland ... on this topic of Turkish membership in order to consult not only the politically correct establishment within the European Commission but the average European."

Turkish EU membership is a divisive issue in Europe, with leaders of key states such as Germany and France among those expressing reservations about it. But Britain, Italy and Spain have supported the mostly Muslim country's EU bid.

President Barack Obama has urged the EU to embrace Turkey, a member of the Group of 20 and NATO strategically located at the crossroads of Europe and Asia, saying its EU membership would broaden and strengthen the continent's foundations.

Washington also considers Turkey an important ally with far-reaching influence stretching from Afghanistan to the Middle East.

The Associated Press - 23.10.2010

http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/...e28745bb1a4cc3

Turkish politicians don't have enough courage to officially end our EU journey but this would hopefully be the end of it all cuz these rightist parties are governing in most of EU countries like Holland, Austria, Bulgaria and others. I hope they can do it and call for a European wide referendum for Turkey and i am sure the result would be NO except 1-2 countries.

Someone should suggest them to pressure our government to organize a referendum in Turkey too cuz i am sure that Turkish people would refuse EU membership either. According to polls, NO votes in Turkey for the refusal of our EU membership are one of the highest among all EU countries with 72%, only behind Germany and France.

[Frank]

I really hope the Turkish Government can call a referendum itself and say NO

I too hope some unattainable miracle can reach Macedonia with the same say NO

Will the European Press ever call these mongrels "Nationalists" or is that term manufactured for Serbs sometimes Croats and Macedonians only

[Soldier of Macedon]

A pack of hypocritical maggots. They forced Macedonia to accept foreign elements, yet they don't want to accept the millions of Turks already living in their countries. Is this renewed European resentment aimed against Turks specifically or Muslims in general?

[Onur]

Actually i can understand our politician`s hesitancy when i think about what can happen if/when our EU journey ends.

We are a member of several EU organizations since 1960s like European court of human rights and we accepted the superiority of it over our own judicial system. We are a member of EU customs union for all import/export business and when our EU journey ends, Turkey will need a constitution change to abolish of all these EU laws and our trade laws needs to change as well when we abolish EU customs union and we need to change and define new custom regulations between us and all EU countries immediately otherwise all the trade between Turkey and EU completely stops `till we set out new custom values.

Turkey`s constitution and pretty much all the laws are fully compatible with EU regulations for years and all of these needs to change immediately otherwise this can cause a chaos, especially for the trade business on both sides.


EU needs to pay for all the troubles they caused to us but i am sure only the end of EU custom union regulations would be a good lesson for them because atm, they can sell us over 110 billion Euro worth of goods every year, because they got privileges by this customs agreement and we got several obligations to the EU like we cannot set out proper amount of tax to their goods. When this would be over, i am sure their export to Turkey would be cut to half immediately and they will loose Turkish market. So, this would accelerate their economic downfall. On the other hand, it would be helpful to Turkey cuz this would automatically lower our import and cut our expenses.


This was only economical and constitutional problems. Think about what can happen politically? I am sure everyone in western world would start to accuse us by being allies of Iran and such if our EU membership negotiations ends. Actually thats what these rightist EU parties wants. They wanna accuse us and demonize us nonstop and our ties with EU institutions are creating a problem, a barrier for them. They want to overcome this problem so they can freely demonize us on every international level. Thats why, they wanna see Turkey as an islamic middle-eastern state. The democracy and modern Turkey in general causes disturbance among these rightist European political parties.

Is this renewed European resentment aimed against Turks specifically or Muslims in general?

Both!

[fyrOM]

Maybe the eu thinks

http://lolsnaps.com/?p=home&media_id=1138&cat_type=all&order_type=latest&pagenum=1

[fyrOM]

I hear the burka is tradition and not strictly religion.

http://lolsnaps.com/?p=home&media_id=1083&cat_type=all&order_type=latest&pagenum=1

[Onur]

I think Turkey-EU relations is coming close to an end sooner than i expected. Only problem is none of Turkish politicians wants to be the responsible for that and for few months, they constantly asking EU to officially terminate our negotiation process if they wish to do so since it`s already stalled for 3-4 years;

Pull the plug if you want, Bağış tells EU

Turkey's chief negotiator for accession talks with the European Union toughened criticism against the 27-nation bloc on Friday for raising obstacles to an eventual accession, saying the EU could “pull the plug” if this is what it wanted.

“If they come up with a stance against Turkey, that is, if the plug is to be pulled, I leave it to the EU. Do it and then be held accountable for what you have done before history,” Egemen Bağış told reporters after talks with the EU's ombudsman, Nikiforos Diamandouros, in Brussels. “The Europe of 20 or 30 years from now will ask those who make such a mistake to account for what they did. I don't believe it is possible for Europe to resolve its problems without Turkey's contributions.” Bağış's remarks signal growing frustration in Ankara with obstacles to Turkish membership. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdoğan recently wrote in Newsweek that Turkey's accession process was approaching a “turning point” and President Abdullah Gül said this week that EU accession was not crucial to Turkey.

29 January 2011

http://www.todayszaman.com/news-2338...-tells-eu.html

According to Turkish media, our chief negotiator spoke with Greek and French authorities in Brussels and they bring Cyprus issue on the table again by asking us to recognize the Greek only Cyprus to be able to progress further. Our negotiator refuses again and tells them that they can announce that Turkey-EU process is over if they prefers to do so.

[George S.]

Why not tell them to fuck off after the way you are being treated do they want you to kiss their feet & lick their arse.What has turkey done to desrve this treatment.

[Onur]

Why not tell them to fuck off after the way you are being treated do they want you to kiss their feet & lick their arse.What has turkey done to desrve this treatment.

It`s because of internal politics. No one wanna be branded as "the man who terminated EU process" by some liberals and other Euro-heads in Turkey. Actually, Turkey-EU negotiation process is already completely stalled for 3-4 years because of Cyprus issue. So, in that sense, it`s already over but Turkish politicians wanna leave to pleasure to officially end the negotiations to the EU side for to be able to turn Turkish public and say "they did it, not us".

Turkey did nothing to deserve this. They used us as a buffer against communist states in cold war era and today, they accepted these ex-communist states as member but they treat us like shit now.

Actually, the real problem is, they don't wanna share power with anyone, especially not with Turkey but Turkey never becomes a member of an organization without having a single word for it`s administration. They wanna see us kissing their ass like Greece and Bulgaria does but thats not possible.

[julie]

Onur. The Cyprus issue on the table again by recognize the Greek only Cyprus to be able to progress further to negotiate is blackmail. Turkey is being blackmailed like Macedonia is to give up our name and identity.
The difference between Macedonia and Turkey is your negotiators are refusing their demands whilst Macedonia is gutless in doing the same. Turkey does not need the EU, nor does Macedonia.

[Prolet]

Turkey never becomes a member of an organization without having a single word for it`s administration.

Onur, What about the Nato Organization? I thought Turkey was heavily involved in the preparations to the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, what say did Turkey have in that? I guess they allowed Turkish troops to enter inside Iraqi territory to take on the PKK radicals.

[Onur]

Onur. The Cyprus issue on the table again by recognize the Greek only Cyprus to be able to progress further to negotiate is blackmail. Turkey is being blackmailed like Macedonia is to give up our name and identity.

Yes i agree to you. These are just concessions they wanna get, then we will get nothing in return. They don't give any confidence or goodwill at all. It`s just hypocrisy. Also, Cyprus is important to us as much as your name issue. It`s our ~500 year old land and we will never let them convert it as Greek island. Even England left the island to the equal administration of Turks and Greeks in 1960 and now they want from us to recognize Greek only state in there. Our sovereignty is not for sale for any price, just like your identity.

Onur, What about the Nato Organization? I thought Turkey was heavily involved in the preparations to the Iraq and Afghanistan invasions, what say did Turkey have in that? I guess they allowed Turkish troops to enter inside Iraqi territory to take on the PKK radicals.

Turkey is one of the oldest members of NATO. We constantly tried to prevent US invasion of Iraq but USA did it anyway, then we refused any involvement to it and even refused US and British soldiers and equipment to use our territory for the invasion. In return, USA forces closed every Turkish NGO in Iraq, where Turkish minority lives and then they strictly told us to never get in northern Iraq again. Turkish army did some minor operations again but i guess the last one was in 2006 or 2007. Since then, they constantly tell us to never step in to the northern Iraq again, probably for not to bother their best buddy, Kurds in there.

For the Afghanistan, we`ve opposed to the operation again and only sent few 100 soldiers there for only humanitarian aid staff. US constantly demands from us to send Turkish soldiers there and involve in combat but we refused all their demands again.

So, i can say that Turkey is only behind US and British in NATO decisions, same or maybe even higher position than France and Germany because of our geographical position and area of influence. We can refuse US&British decisions and they cant do much about it since we have the 2nd largest military force in NATO after USA. So, they cant dump us easily because we can create an alliance with Russia and China. They are perfectly aware of that possibility.

[Prolet]

Onur, Greece didnt contribute any troops in Iraq and Afghanistan so why do they have such a large influence in Nato? Turkish Military Chiefs have often repeated their support for Macedonian's membership in Nato.

Turkey is a country that is on the way up with a very strong economic rise, while USA is on the way down and its now forced to make some major spending cuts in their Army.

[Onur]

Onur, Greece didnt contribute any troops in Iraq and Afghanistan so why do they have such a large influence in Nato? Turkish Military Chiefs have often repeated their support for Macedonian's membership in Nato.

It would be naive to think that Macedonia doesn't get accepted to the NATO just because of Greece`s influence. AFAIK, Greece doesn't have any influence in NATO at all. They are geographically far away to the areas of interest of NATO. They don't even contribute to the NATO operations as you said. Greece is generally bound to the EU only but not to NATO. They also prefer to purchase French and German military equipments instead of US&British ones. Also, they don't have any facility and technology to manufacture their own military equipments.

I strongly believe that it`s the Germany and France who prevents Macedonia to be the member international organizations with your current name. They probably advice US for not to accept Macedonia before name conflict with Greece resolves as they do same for your EU journey. I am not sure about official British and US stance for your name issue but they probably don't wanna create a problem with EU just because of Macedonia cuz i am quite sure that French and Germans warns US authorities that this is the EU`s stance for name issue, not only Greece`s.

On the other hand, not only Turkish military chiefs supports Macedonia in NATO, this is the official stance of Turkey and Turkey doesn't sign any paper in NATO without noting that Turkey recognizes Macedonia with his constitutional name, not with the tag of FYROM.

[Prolet]

Onur, Greece has also bought Military equipment from Russia too, they love to spend alot on their weapons.