Fresh news from Brussels

Let’s start with Paris.

There is a strange atmosphere in France. No one wants to talk — some, because they know nothing, while some it appears are frightened of President Jacques Chirac. Those I called couldn’t say anything, besides the usual gibberish. I can’t say I got to the root of the problem in France, but one thing everybody appears to be certain about is that Chirac has no intention of delaying Turkey’s membership negotiations by a few years. While Turkey will get a date to start the negotiations, no one knows what the formulas that will make Chirac’s life easier (they call it preconditions) are.

Let’s then go to London.

The British government’s stance is absolutely clear. They say Turkey needs to be given a date to start the negotiations and argue that there is no reason for extra preconditions. The British government believes the Oct. 6 European Commission progress report is enough and ask for the negotiations to begin in mid-2005, when their EU term presidency starts.

Berlin is the same.

It is also the German government’s opinion that no further conditions need to be attached to the European Commission report and that the negotiations should start in July 2005.

Atmosphere in Brussels confirms the reports
There are two problems in Brussels right now.

One is to satisfy the growing number of demands coming from the council (delegations from member countries). In recent weeks, commission experts spend most of their time at the European Council, carrying thick folders back and forth. They sit around tables, spread out the documents and try to answer any queries that may come.

All the folders are on Turkey. All the questions are also about Turkey. They are asking questions about the details of the European Commission’s last progress report on Turkey. The representatives of the 25 member-countries want to know whether their concerns were clearly expressed in the report.

In other words, they are discussing whether to add any additional conditions to the decision that will be taken on Turkey’s membership negotiations on Dec. 17. If a country wants to add a condition to the negotiations to satisfy its public, but sees it mentioned in the report, it withdraws its proposal for an extra condition.

The general outlook in Brussels is that the matters are following the proper path and that the number of those who are against any additional conditions are much larger than the others. In other words, no additional conditions will be attached to the report at the Dec. 17 summit. They will approve the report as is.

At least, that’s what the situation right now is.

Greek Cypriots creating problems
Another matter dominating the agenda lately is the constantly growing demands voiced by the Greek Cypriots.

According to those who provided me with the information, the government led by Tassos Papadopoulos will exercise its veto right if certain solid rules are not included in the decision on Dec. 17.

Some of these conditions are Turkey recognizing Greek Cyprus before starting the negotiations, withdrawing troops from Cyprus and promising the EU that it will eliminate certain restrictions.

The Greek Cypriot government is saying that it is not against the start of the negotiations with Turkey but adds that it needs to satisfy the concerns of its people, asking the EU to make certain promises.

In other words, the Greek Cypriots want the EU to assure them that the union would force Turkey to implement certain policies during the negotiations.

Officials who say that the discussions are continuing and all their efforts were directed at convincing the Greek Cypriots note that no matter what happens, it appears that Turkey will get a date.

This is the latest news. Don’t change the channel. I will continue to brief you on the latest developments as they happen.