ENVIRONMENT CHAPTER OPENS

In the intergovernmental accession conference, the Environment Chapter has been opened in Turkey's EU accession negotiations. With the Environment Chapter Turkey has now opened 12 of the 33 Chapters in the EU accession negotiations.

Turkey was represented by the Minister for EU Affairs and Chief Negotiator Egemen Bagis, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu and Minister of Environment and Forestry Veysel Eroglu. The Turkish delegation, though it was not an agenda item, reminded that the EU had granted visa exemption to 3 Balkan States which had not started accession negotiations with the EU yet and emphasised that the same right should have been granted to Turkey as a country in a further integration process.

After the intergovernmental conference, at the joint press conference Bagis said that Turkey's EU accession negotiations had a win-win perspective and opening the Environment Chapter would mean a White Christmas guarantee for Brussels.

Reminding that 26 ministries and public institutions made contributions to open Environment Chapter, Bagis said: "I think it is a kind of miracle that Turkey can convince 27 EU Member States along with its 26 institutions to open Environment Chapter to negotiations while the world leaders in the Climate Summit in Copenhagen cannot reach a consensus."

Indicating that Turkey redoubled its efforts to open other chapters, particularly public procurement, social policy and employment, energy and education and culture, to negotiations, Bagis said that the EU had to do its own bid for that purpose.

Bagis said the opening criteria of 10 Chapters on which the EU Member States could not reach a consensus should have been concluded as soon as possible in order for Turkey to make necessary preparations.

Indicating that Turkey required to be an "equal member" in the EU with all its rights and responsibilities, Bagis said the accession negotiations should have been completed successfully for that.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said: "From now on both Turkey and the EU will continue cooperation in many strategic issues and hopefully Turkey will be an EU Member State soon." Davutoglu stated that both Turkey and the majority of the EU Member States were aware of the strategic importance of the relations between the two parties.

Minister of Environment and Forestry Veysel Eroglu, indicating Turkey had made crucial reforms in order to open Environment Chapter to negotiations, said that Turkey had made an important progress especially in the fight against air pollution.

Enlargement Commissioner of the EU Olli Rehn said the years of "downs" had been ended, stability had been reached in recent years and the "ups" trend had started once again on a strong basis.

Swedish Foreign Minister and EU President Carl Bildt said: "As the discussion on Turkey's EU membership continues in the European public opinion, the strategic importance of Turkey's accession is understood better."

Source: AA