Onderhandelingen met Turkije voor toetreding tot EU uitgebreid ondanks trage tempo (en)
EUOBSERVER / BRUSSELS - EU countries have agreed to open a minor chapter in Turkey accession talks, in a move portrayed as proof of EU commitment following US criticism of Europe's treatment of Ankara.
EU officials went to great lengths to reassure Turkey that the opening of negotiations in the field of food safety and veterinary health is a significant step forward in the enlargement negotiations, which began in December 2004.
"These are technical issues, but they carry great political importance as well, because they show that the negotiation process is still very much alive and making progress," Spanish foreign minister Miguel Moratinos said during a press conference on behalf of the EU.
His remarks were echoed by enlargement commissioner Stefan Fuele, who called food safety a "heavyweight chapter."
"There should be zero doubts about EU's commitment," he said.
Only 13 out of 35 chapters have been opened in the past five and a half years, partly due to Turkey's pace of reform and partly due to opposition from France, Germany, Greece and Cyprus. Eight chapters are on ice until Turkey resolves its territorial dispute with Cyprus.
The Obama administration recently criticised the EU over the slow pace of progress, with defence secretary Robert Gates saying Europe is "pushing" Ankara to closer relations with Islamic states such as Syria and Iran.
Traditionally the only Muslim ally of Israel, Turkey last month froze diplomatic relations with the Jewish state following the deadly attack on a Turkish ship carrying humanitarian aid to Gaza.
Asked by a German journalist if giving a political boost to Ankara might send the wrong message to Israel, Mr Moratinos said "the commitment for EU negotiations is very clear and no event should change this strategic goal."
He added that the bloc had condemned the "disproportionate use of force" by Israel and adopted a "tough stance" following the death of nine Turkish citizens on the Gaza boat.
Speaking at the same press conference, Turkish foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu said the attack was not only a bilateral issue with Israel, but a European one: "On this flotilla there were members of parliaments from European countries. It was an attack on a convoy of citizens. Nobody should see this as a problem only for Turkey and Israel, but also for the EU as a whole."
He added that Turkey expects to its EU entry to be judged on merits, not "political criteria," in an allusion to the Franco-German idea that it should be a "privileged partner" but not an EU member.
The 72-million-strong Muslim country would drastically alter the power balance in the EU Council the day it enters the union.
But its geopolitical value - as a cultural bridge, a model of Islamic democracy and a territorial bulkhead into the Middle East - has created many supporters of accession.
Mr Moratinos and his predecessor during the Swedish EU presidency last year, Carl Bildt, both support Turkey's EU membership. The upcoming Belgian EU presidency, which takes over the baton from Spain on Thursday (1 July), has also said it will push to open more negotiation chapters, with the energy and education dossiers next in line.