IKV PRESS RELEASE

5 OCTOBER 2015

PRESIDENT ERDOĞAN IN BRUSSELS:
THE REFUGEE CRISIS SHOWS THE IMPORTANCE OF EU-TURKEY COOPERATION

“Europe’s borders also include Turkey and no issue regarding border security in Europe can be solved without Turkey’s participation”.

President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan will be in Brussels within the framework of an official visit to Belgium today and tomorrow.

It is expected that the refugee crisis which is in Europe’s agenda since the beginning of this summer will be discussed during President Erdoğan’s Brussels visit. Moreover, the fact that this visit coincides before the publication by the European Commission of its annual progress report on Turkey further increases the importance of this visit. It is expected that the report which should have been revealed on the 14^th October will be published in a week’s time.

As it is known, Turkey hosts above 2 million Syrian and Northern Iraqi refugees and almost 90% of the refugees are spread out across the country. In the context of the provisional protection regime, it is becoming increasingly difficult to bring objective-based assistance to the refugees. Furthermore, from education to health, from nutrition and shelter to refugee rights, the problems of the refugees are growing by the day in a wide variety of issues. It is a reality that this issue which has become more and more urgent has spread to Europe in 2015.

The refugees, ignoring the risk posed upon their own lives, try to reach Europe either through the sea or by the land from Turkey. Some EU Member States are trying to confront this great issue by reinstituting controls at their borders by suspending provisionally their participation to the Schengen Agreement. According to figures released by the UN High Commissioner for Refugees on the 1^st October 2015, the number of refugees which have come to Europe in 2015 has reached 700,000.

Common Problem; Common Solution:  
  
As IKV, we would like to remind that this issue concerns both Turkey and Europe and that a solution may only be found through close cooperation between the parties.

As this crisis has shown, Europe’s borders also include Turkey and no issue regarding border security in Europe can be solved without Turkey’s participation.

The EU’s Common Values Are under Threat:

It should not be forgotten that the common values which constitute the EU are under great threat in the last years.

Discussions since the 2008 financial crisis regarding the Euro are now focusing on the viability of the Schengen system. Although Europe has fluctuated for a long time regarding the Euro, it has not taken any step backward in that respect and has succeeded in protecting the integrity of the Eurozone. However, the EU is currently confronted with the same discussions regarding Schengen. The fact that the EU is unable to produce a viable solution to this important issue, just like with the Euro, is taking proportions which may put the Schengen system in difficulty.

Therefore, Turkey’s prospective EU membership is perhaps even more important than at any time.

2015: 10^th Anniversary of Turkey-EU Membership Negotiations

As it is known, we are celebrating this year the 10^th anniversary of the launch of membership negotiations between Turkey and the EU.

Putting Turkey’s EU membership prospect aside, the parties have never been so far away from each other today in the 50 year long history of their relations.

Technical negotiations have not reached a satisfactory level; whilst there have been steps which have been undertaken within the framework of the ongoing talks regarding the modernisation of the Customs Union and the issue of visa requirements towards Turkish citizens, neither Turkey presents an image of a candidate country to the EU, nor the EU seems ready to accept Turkey within its ranks.

In addition, issues which concern both parties closely are growing by the day. In that context, it is our greatest wish that both parties show strengthened political will in finding common solutions to these enduring issues. One of these issues is precisely the refugee crisis. The fact that both parties find concrete and credible solutions together to this issue which shows urgency will further contribute in bringing together Turkey and the EU.

In that context, as IKV, we find President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s visit to Brussels after a year timely and of significant importance.

Our Recommendations:

Within that framework, we would like to recommend that as both parties meet and discuss the refugee crisis, the following points are taken into consideration:

 (*) Turkey and the EU should forge a common plan regarding burden-sharing and for Syrian refugees to pursue their lives at a decent level. Turkey’s expenses which have reached above 6 billion dollars should be reported by including previsions for next year (at the international, national and local level) and these calculations should be taken into account during talks with EU officials.

(*) It will not be possible in the short or medium term for over 2 million Syrian refugees living in Turkey to return to their homes. Along with the regulations and provisional measures as regards the refugees’ stay in Turkey, it is of utmost importance that such regulations and measures are taken within a legal and permanent framework. A realistic integration programme should be created regarding the refugees’ residential, working and educational conditions in Turkey and the support of the EU should be sought in that respect.

 (*) An effective and reciprocal dialogue regarding the Readmission Agreement and the Visa Liberalisation Dialogue process between the parties should be established which includes the implementation of the conditions and the criteria in that respect and the technical, administrative and financial infrastructure of such a dialogue should be strengthened.

Ayhan ZEYTİNOĞLU
IKV Chairman