http://www.hurriyetdailynews.com/erdogan-to-eu-show-us-good-intentions-first.aspx?pageID=238&nID=106809&NewsCatID=510

Thursday,December 1 2016

Erdoğan to EU: Show us good intentions first

ANKARA

When the European Union keeps its promises on visa liberalization for Turks, humanitarian aid and opening new “chapters” in Ankara’s talks to join the bloc, then Turkey will also show good intentions, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan said on
Dec. 1.

“If the EU is ready to put aside its meaningless hostility and double standards against Turkey, we are ready for full membership to the EU,” said the president, adding that Turkey had run out of energy to “chase after” Europe.

“The term of one-sided commitment is over,” Erdoğan added. “If the Europe does its part, then we will stand behind all of our promises. Otherwise, it is their own choice!”

Erdoğan also said Ankara wants to maintain political and economic relations with Russia, Iran, China and Central Asian countries at the “highest level,” but that he did not see good relations with the East as an alternative to the West, and vice
versa.

“Neither the European Union nor the European countries that are on the brink of falling into the clutches of racism can exclude Turkey from Europe,” said the president.

“We are not a guest but a host in Europe.”

Prime Minister Binali Yıldırım on Dec. 1 also called on the EU “to make up its mind” on Turkey. “We believe that, despite everything, there are still visionary leaders in Europe who are concerned about the future of Europe,” Yıldırım said
at a meeting in Ankara.

“We think that this meaningless decision will not be taken into account in the leaders’ summit to be held on Dec. 15-16. EU must end its confusion as soon as possible. We are saying this as a friend.”


Refugee deal
Turkey and the EU signed a refugee deal in March, which aimed to discourage irregular migration through the Aegean Sea by taking stricter measures against human traffickers and improving the conditions of nearly three million Syrian refugees in Turkey.

The March 18 deal also allowed for the acceleration of Turkey’s EU membership bid and visa-free travel for Turkish nationals within the Schengen area.

In a joint statement dated Nov. 29, 2015, the EU and Turkey had confirmed their commitment to re-energize the accession process. Turkey formally applied to become an EU member in 1987, while accession talks began in 2005.

However, almost a year later, on Nov. 24, the European Parliament approved a non-binding motion to freeze EU-membership talks with Turkey, in response to post-coup investigations and recent developments in the country.

The European Parliament decision angered Ankara and President Erdoğan, who warned that they could retaliate by rupturing a migrant deal curbing the flow of refugees to Europe and open the country’s borders to allow refugees into the EU.

The EU leaders will evaluate relations with Turkey at a summit on Dec. 15 and 16.

December/01/2016

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)

The EU has shown its "good intentions" many times. It is Turkiye's turn to show its own "good intentions". The only "good intentions" Turkiye has to show its unconditional respect to its people's human rights and freedoms. So far since the declaration of
its independence Turkiye has failed to do so; four military interventions, gross violations of human rights and freedoms of its people, lack of modern, contemporary education system not Islamic/Islamist indoctrination with Iman-Hatip schools instead of
modern contemporary schools which create marketable skills Turkiye needs most desparately, creating and maintaining a Religious Affairs Directorate where democracy requires strict separation of religion and state, failure to eliminate Islamist tendencies
like Said Nursi and Nakshibendi Islamist organizations, and others by modern and contemporary education, regionalism (while some parts of the country where Kurdish people live are deliberately neglected with lack of infrastructure, modern schools which
produce marketable skills, job related investments, etc.), failure to stop and eliminate corruption at the very high echelons of the ruling AKP party. The list goes on and on. While still half of the population is at or under poverty lines, AKP president
builds illegal, 1100 room super luxurious palace against court rules. Hundreds of thousands of people are sacked by the president's own personal orders and put in jail for the coup he himself orchestrated. Yes, of course it is Turkiye's turn to show its
own "good intentions".

--- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05
* Origin: fsxNet Usenet Gateway (21:1/5)