Positively Concluding on Turkey’s EU accession…

A guest blog by Louise Taylor, EU Political Officer at the British Embassy in Ankara, Turkey

As EU Political Officer, I have been following Turkey’s EU accession process closely since I arrived in Ankara last March.  So I am pleased to see that EU Ministers agreed positive conclusions at the General Affairs Council on Enlargement on 11 December that Turkey not only remains a key partner for the European Union, but also that the EU wants active and credible accession negotiations.

The EU has also committed to enhance further (and, I hope, formalise) political dialogue between the EU and Turkey on foreign policy issues.  Turkey is undoubtedly a key foreign policy actor whose strength and pivotal role makes it a partner of choice for the United Kingdom.  The more we talk, the better we can work together side-by-side on securing our common neighbourhood and increasing our prosperity.

One of my proudest moments this year was working with Turkish colleagues to help Kosovo secure EBRD membership.  We made it happen together.  The more we can do of this the better for Turkey, the UK and Europe.

The Irish Minister for European Affairs, Lucinda Creighton, delivered some of the best news I’ve heard in some time when she said that Ireland’s rotating EU Presidency stood ready to open an EU negotiating chapter with Turkey in the first half of 2013.

On which, Turkey’s EU Minister, Egemen Bağış, is right to say that opening one negotiating chapter is not enough.  The UK wants more chapters open – including some of the more difficult and demanding ones such as Chapter 23 (Judiciary and Fundamental Rights).  But one is a good start.  Let’s bag that and move on – swiftly – to the next.

I’m happy to conclude my first few months in Turkey with this kind of positive feeling.   My New Year’s resolution will be to translate this positivity into concrete results.  With the EU gearing up to offer genuine opportunities, what is important now is that Turkey itself is ready to take the next steps.  EU accession is, after all, their journey to make.

The UK fully supports the determination of both Turkey and the incoming Irish Presidency to move negotiations forward in the first half of 2013.  I am optimistic that 2013 will see Turkey’s EU accession process taking a turn for the better.

A statement by the UK Minister for Europe on enlargement is here.

Happy New Year…!