"EURASIA INSIGHT
TURKEY HEADS INTO CRITICAL PERIOD FOR EU ACCESSION BID
Mevlut Katik 10/03/06
Turkey is struggling to keep its European Union membership aspirations alive on the first anniversary of the start of accession talks. The next few days could prove pivotal for Ankara.
The EU Commissioner for Enlargement, Olli Rehn, arrived in Turkey on October 2, issuing a warning: Ankara urgently needs to "relaunch" its liberalization drive, otherwise accession talks could well end in a "train crash." Offering specifics, Rehn called on Turkish leaders to abolish or rework legislation, known as article 301, which has been used in recent attempts to muzzle free speech, as well as permit vessels and planes from Cyprus, a new EU member, to dock or land in Turkey. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]. In addition, Rehn said Turkey had to strengthen civilian control over the military, which has traditionally acted as a guardian of Turkey’s secularist tradition, and thus has often involved itself in Turkish politics. [For background see the Eurasia Insight archive]."
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