Turkey has to implement fully the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement in a non-discriminatory manner, Czech Foreign Minister Jan Kohout, whose country holds the rotating presidency of the EU, has said.
Kohout was speaking during an intergovernmental accession conference with Turkey, during which the EU and Turkey agreed to open Chapter 16 on Taxation, as part of Ankara's negotiations to enter the 27-member bloc.
The seventh meeting of the Intergovernmental Conference with Turkey at ministerial level was held today in Brussels, following the start of accession negotiations on 3 October 2005.
The EU underlined the main issues regarding the closing benchmarks to be met by Turkey, saying that Turkey has to fulfill its obligation to fully implement in a non-discriminatory manner the Additional Protocol to the Association Agreement.
Turkish chief negotiator, Egemen Bagis, reiterated his country's wish to join the EU as a full-fledged and equal member.
Our aim is to open new negotiating chapters during the next EU presidency and to cooperate closely with the Swedish presidency, in a bid to record further progress, he added.
Regarding the energy chapter, Bagis said that his country is technically ready to begin negotiations. Referring to the energy difficulties the EU faces, Bagis attempted to attribute the problem to Cyprus’ stance regarding the opening of the energy chapter, saying that in the midst of the energy crisis facing the EU, ''a small sunshine member-state obstructs the opening of the certain chapter against the needs of 500 million European citizens.'' Bayis avoided though naming the “sunshine member-state” since it does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus, an EU member-state since 2004, which has been divided since 1974 when Turkey invaded and occupied 27 percent of its territory.
''Turkey is not part of the solution but the solution to the problem,'' he said.
Asked which chapters are expected to open during the Swedish presidency, which begins tomorrow, Director General of the EU Enlargement DG Michael Leigh referred to the chapters regarding the environment, competition, social policy and employment and he also expressed hope for a positive outcome in energy and education policy chapters.
