WRITTEN QUESTION E-2609/99

by Mogens Camre (UEN) to the Commission

(12 January 2000)

Subject: Breaches of human rights in Turkey

The Copenhagen criteria of 1993 require countries wishing to become members of the EU to guarantee human rights and respect and protect minorities. According to Parliament's Resolution of 6 October 1999 Turkey is still far away from meeting these criteria. For example, official Turkish policy includes a prohibition on Christian religious activities and the Christian cathedral of Hagia Sophia is still under Muslim occupation.

These clear breaches of human rights openly flout the Copenhagen criteria and it would therefore be interesting to know what demands the Commission makes on Turkey in the course of their present collaboration.

Under Article 28 of the Association Agreement Turkey receives aid from the European Union. Will the Commission therefore describe the demands it makes in the course of its relations with Turkey regarding Turkey's treatment of its Christian minority?

Answer given by Mr Verheugen on behalf of the Commission

(31 January 2000)

As far as grants from the Community budget are concerned the only financial instrument which Turkey can currently benefit from is the MEDA programme (Council Regulation (EC) No 1488/96 of 23 July 1996 on financial and technical measures to accompany the reform of economic and social structures in the framework of the Euro-Mediterranean partnership)(1).

According to its Article 3, the MEDA regulation is based on the respect of democracy, the rule of law as well as human rights and fundamental freedoms. The violation of these principles could justify the adoption of adequate measures by the Council. In the implementation of its co-operation with Turkey, the Commission puts a particular emphasis on the respect of these principles.

In its last regular report on Turkey, adopted in October 1999, the Commission made an assessment on the situation with respect to the so called Copenhagen criteria. It has concluded that Turkey does not meet for the moment these criteria in the political field.

In particular the respect of freedom of religion is currently not satisfactory in Turkey. The main Christian minorities in Turkey are Greek, Armenian (recognised as minorities by the Treaty of Lausanne) and Syriac (Syrian Orthodox). The latter group, in particular, has in recent times been subject to discrimination and harassment. Other Christians include United States-origin evangelical groups, which are frequently harassed. As far as Aghia Sophia, the great church of Constantinople, is concerned, it was converted into a mosque immediately after the capture of the city in 1453. This fate was shared by many other churches, notably St Saviour in Chora which became the Kariye mosque. After the establishment of the Republic in 1923, Atatürk turned both churches into museums, with the result that they are freely accessible to those of any religion or none. The mosaics have been uncovered and restored, and Aghia Sophia is currently in the middle of a substantial renovation programme.

The Commission has been asked by the Helsinki European Council (December 1999) to prepare an accession partnership to be adopted by the Council. In this document priorities for the fulfilling by Turkey of the Copenhagen criteria, including the political priorities, will be established. The question of freedom of religion will be raised in this framework.

(1) OJ L 189, 30.7.1996.