WRITTEN QUESTION E-0463/01 by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Council. EU-Turkey partnership.
Date: 2001-02-20
Institutions: European Parliament, Provisional data
Subjects: France, Türkiye, accession to the European Union, association agreement (EU), crime against individuals

C 340 E/32

Official Journal of the European Communities

EN

4.12.2001

The EU is keeping the security situation under regular review. At its meeting on 19 March, the Council
welcomed the interim report of Mr Solana, High Representative, on further EU action concerning south-
east Serbia and invited him to continue his work on an EU strategy for that region in collaboration with
the Presidency and the Commission.

The EU is committed to the full implementation of the 1244 UN SC resolution on Kosovo. The Council
finally wants to recall the substantial support which the EU is making available for the stabilisation and
development of Kosovo. EU Member States have made the largest contribution to KFOR, as well as
providing police and judiciary, and have supplied the majority of funding for the OSCE efforts with regard
to institution-building and civil society. The EC has been the largest donor of humanitarian assistance, and
remains the lead actor in the field of reconstruction and economic development, not only in financial
terms but also through its responsibility for/leadership of Pillar 4 of UNMIK.

However, the EU has made it clear that further assistance will have to be accompanied by the readiness of
the Kosovars to help quell ethnic violence and their efforts towards reconciliation.

(2001/C 340 E/038)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0463/01

by Mihail Papayannakis (GUE/NGL) to the Council

(20 February 2001)

Subject: EU-Turkey partnership

The French National Assembly recently adopted a resolution recognising the genocide of the Armenians.
Turkey responded with retaliatory measures of a mainly economic nature, cancelling a number of contracts
with French companies. On 13 December 1999, the European Council meeting in Helsinki decided to
recognise Turkey as a candidate country for accession to the EU, and to draw up an accession partnership
and a single financial framework to assist Turkey towards accession.

Does the Council consider that Turkey(cid:146)s (cid:145)economic retaliation(cid:146) against France, and its unilateral termination
of contracts are politically and legally compatible with the EU-Turkey customs union or that such conduct
is consistent with the criteria laid down by the European Council in Copenhagen?

Reply

(10 July 2001)

The retaliatory measures taken against France after the adoption of the law concerning official recognition
of the Armenian genocide were aimed at projects of a bilateral nature. Nevertheless, the Commission has
responsibility for ensuring the proper application of the Association Agreement and the Customs Union
with Turkey and is following the situation closely. It has pointed out that the retaliatory measures can only
be counter-productive at a time when Turkey is being invited to enter into an accession partnership and
has recently adopted a national programme for the taking over of the Community (cid:145)acquis(cid:146).

The European Union will consider whether any measures need to be taken in the context of the existing
EU-Turkey agreements and the pre-accession process.

(2001/C 340 E/039)

WRITTEN QUESTION E-0466/01

by Ioannis Mar(cid:237)nos (PPE-DE) to the Council

(20 February 2001)

Subject: Assessment of consequences of bombing Yugoslavia

The (cid:145)Balkans Syndrome(cid:146) has justifiably caused alarm throughout Europe concerning the consequences of
the bombing of Bosnia, Serbia and Kosovo.