3rd Int. Conf. on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds

1st Int. Conf. on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds [English, London, 2005]

2nd Int. Conf. on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds [English, London, 2006]

3rd Int. Conf. on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds [English, London, 2007]

4th Int. Conf. on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds [English, London, 2009]

5th Int. Conf. on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds [English, London, 2010]

Editor’s note

The third annual EU-Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) Conference was held on 16-17 October 2006 at the European Parliament in Brussels. Themed Time for Justice, Dialogue and Solution, the event was hosted by the founders of the EUTCC, namely, the Bar Human Rights Committee of England and Wales (UK); the Kurdish Human Rights Project (UK); medico international (Germany); and the Rafto Foundation (Norway), and was supported by members of the European Parliament.

This publication sets out the majority of the speeches and papers of the 2006 Conference, including the Final Resolutions; in this way it attempts to shed light on particular areas of concern for a successful accession process. A brief account of the background to the Conference can be found below; for a more comprehensive guide to the issues discussed, and related recent developments in Turkey, the Background Paper given to Conference delegates is included in this publication (Appendix I).

For the purposes of publication, the speeches reproduced here have been edited and in some cases abridged or translated. Where given, the title of each speech has been included. Fuller versions of these speeches are available on the EUTCC website at www.eutcc.org. Some speeches were not available in written form and so are not included. The speeches that have been omitted are listed at the start of each section.

The opinions expressed in this work do not necessarily represent the views of the EUTCC.

Contents

List of Abbreviations / 11
Editor’s Note / 13
Introduction / 15
Addresses from the Patrons / 19
Opening Remarks by the Moderators / 21

Session 1. EU-Turkey Accession Talks: Status of the Reform Process / 27
1.1 EU-Turkey Accession, the Future / 27
Speaker: Kerim Yildiz

1.2 EU-Turkey Accession Progress: Developments after the last EC Regular Report / 30
Speaker: Doğu Ergil

1.3 A Step Backwards: The Effects of the New Anti-Terror Law on Fundamental Rights and Freedoms / 38
‘The Kurdish Question and Freedom of Expression in the Republic of Turkey’ / 38
Eren Keskin
‘Turkey’s US-Backed ‘War On Terror’: A Cause For Concern?’ / 40
Desmond Fernandes

Session 2. Democratic Future of Turkey and the Kurds / 59
2.1 Turkey’s EU Candidacy and the Deep State Roadblock / 59
‘The Deep State Roadblock to Turkey’s EU Candidacy’ / 59
Michael M. Gunter

2.2 Armed Conflict and the EU Accession / 65
Speakers: Richard Howitt - Yüksel Genç

2.3 Turkey’s EU Accession: A Chance for Peace and Reconciliation? / 75
‘Europe in Turkish Mirror’ / 75
Cengiz Aktar

2.4 Implementation of Reforms / 77
Speaker: Şinasi Haznedar

Session 3. Human Rights, Minorities and the Rule of Law / 83
3.1 Political Representation of the Kurds; Freedom of Expression and Association / 83
Speakers: Tuncer Bakırhan - Andrew Duff

3.2 Separation of Powers and Independence of the Judiciary / 90
‘The Question of the Independence of the Judiciary and the Öcalan Case According to the Principle of Separation of Powers’
İbrahim Bilmez

3.3 Promoting Cultural, Social and Economic Rights: The Prospects of Decentralization and Local Governance / 94
Speaker: Osman Baydemir

3.4 The Situation of Internally Displaced Persons / 99
‘Time for action, not mere words’ / 99
Margaret Owen

3.5 The Situation of Women / 105
Speaker: Sevahir Bayındır

Final Resolution from the Third International Conference on the EU, Turkey and the Kurds / 107

Appendix I: Background Paper / 113

The EU-Turkey Civic Commission (EUTCC) was established in November 2004 as the outcome of the first international conference on ‘The EU, Turkey and the Kurds’ held in the European Parliament in Brussels on 22-23 November 2004. The EUTCC aims to both promote and provide suggestions for Turkey’s bid for EU accession, and to help guarantee respect for human and minority rights and a peaceful, democratic and long-term solution to the Kurdish situation. The EUTCC monitors, and conducts regular audits of, Turkey’s compliance with the accession criteria, as defined in the accession agreements; it also makes recommendations, acts as a point of contact, and exchanges information, with the institutions of the EU and other governmental and non-governmental organizations.

The conference brings together leading academics, writers, legal experts, human rights organisations, and prominent Turkish and Kurdish intellectuals, from all over the world, with the goal of exchanging information and ideas to produce resolutions and recommendations to advance the EUTCC’s aims and activities. Following the first conference in 2004, a second conference (2005) was called to evaluate the development of Turkey’s EU accession process during the first year of accession negotiations. The speakers noted the escalating military conflict in southeast Turkey and the failure of various State institutions to adhere to their obligations under the European Convention on Human Rights. Also discussed was the slowing of the reform process in Turkey, just as EU accession was beginning to be viewed as a certainty. The conference also focused on concerns over the new Anti-Terror legislation, continued restrictions on freedom of expression, and issues of torture and ill-treatment during detention. The Conference reiterated its support for the creation of a multi-cultural Europe and called upon leading European politicians to take a central part in the debate. It concluded with the unanimous adoption of declarations concerning the accession process, specifically calling upon the British presidency of the EU to ensure that talks with Turkey opened as planned on 3 October 2005, and to urge Turkey and other member states to foster a climate of peace so that a democratic platform for dialogue can be established between Turks, Kurds, and other constituent peoples and minorities resident in Turkey...

THIRD INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON THE EU, TURKEY AND THE KURDS

EUROPEAN PARLIAMENT, BRUSSELS
16th – 17th October 2006


Layout & Design: Torske & Sterling Legal Marketing

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Keywords: Turkey, minorities, Accession, EU

Printed in Great Britain
September 2007

ISBN:978-1-905592-15-9
Published by the Kurdish Human Rights Project (London)

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