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Turks react with concern to EU presidency appointment
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 20 - 11 - 2009


The appointment of Belgian Prime Minister Herman
Van Rompuy as president of the European Union was met with concern in
Turkey because of the Belgian"s previous comments against Ankara"s
joining the EU, according to dpa.
The headlines of Turkey"s major papers voiced something
approaching alarm in announcing Van Rompuy"s appointment. "Bad News"
wrote the daily Radikal. "Opposition to Turkey at the top of the EU,"
wrote Vatan, another major daily.
The press reports pointed in particular to a comment attributed to
Van Rompuy in a speech while he was in the opposition in Belgium in
which he said "Turkey is not part of Europe and will never be part of
Europe."
The official response, though, was more measured. "[Belgium has]
generally taken a positive stance toward the enlargement and have
also supported our membership bid," Egemen Bagis, Turkey"s chief EU
negotiator said in a written statement released on Friday.
"It is important that Rompuy promised to be fair and objective
related to our country"s membership bid. It suits the principle of
pacta sunt servanda (agreements must be kept)," he said.
Turkish officials have recently expressed their worries that
opposition to Ankara"s EU bid is growing, and that German and French
plans to steer the country towards a "privileged partnership" with
the bloc are gaining traction.
Speaking to reporters on Wednesday, Turkish President Abdullah Gul
called on the EU and its member countries to live up to the agreement
made in 2004 to open up membership negotiations with Ankara.
"There was a unanimous decision to open the talks after lengthy
debates. Honoring promises is a main principle of law and it is
binding on all," Gul said.


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