Gul Wants EU Commission to Claim Its Own Document

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul met with the Commission’s Enlargement Commissioner, Olli Rehn, and told him that the Commission should protect the October 6th Progress Report. Gul reiterated some of the issues he had with that report and asked Rehn to use the Commission to pressure the EU leaders who could correct some of his concerns.

Turkey knows that the Council will make the critical decisions on the report. As a result of their influence, Turkey concluded that the Council could be more successful than Ankara in pressuring EU leaders to amend the conclusions of the October 6th report for the December 17th summit. Minister Gul stressed that Turkey would not accept any alternative to full membership.

‘I agree the concerns of Turkey’

Rehn reportedly agrees with Turkey’s concerns. In an ınterview he gave to the Wall Street Journal, Rehn warned, "Putting new conditions on Turkey about full membership will demolish a significant bridge between the West and the Muslim World."

Rehn also rejects any alternative to full membership for Turkey, and criticized those that have offered a "B plan" in anticipation of a "special membership" with Turkey.

EU leaders will make the ultimate decision on December 17 and the Commission has the ability to influence their decision.

When Gul attended the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) he held bilateral negotiations with Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Moratinos, German Foreign minister Joschka Fischer and British Foreign Minister Jack Straw. Gul asserted Turkey’s expectation that it would receive a "definite and unconditional date" from the December 17th summit.