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Europe

Turkey
Last reviewed: 27 January 2009

Country information

INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS

Relations with Neighbours

Cyprus

Following Cyprus' independence in 1960, tensions between the Greek and Turkish Cypriots increased. The Turkish Cypriot minority retreated into small enclaves, under UN protection from 1964, after outbreaks of serious intercommunal fighting. In July 1974 Turkish troops landed in northern Cyprus following a coup on the island by extremists against the elected President, which was backed by the military junta then in power in Greece. The island has been effectively partitioned ever since and approximately 36% of the territory of the Republic is not under the effective control of the Government of the Republic of Cyprus. A large Turkish military presence also remains in the north of the island.

Since 1974 there was a series of unsuccessful UN-sponsored talks aimed at achieving a just, lasting and comprehensive settlement, including the UN’s 2004 ‘Annan Plan’ for which the Turkish Cypriots voted in favour, but the Greek Cypriots voted against. As a result, Cyprus joined the EU in May 2004 as a divided island with the EU acquis suspended in the north.

On 3 September 2008 a new negotiation process began between the leaders of the two communities.

You can find a more detailed account of developments in Cyprus on the Cyprus Country Profile.

Greece

Relations between the Ottoman Empire and Greece were always troubled and in 1830 after a prolonged and violent struggle, Greece gained independence from the Ottomans. Following that however, bilateral relations remained cordial until the mid-1950s when the issue of the future of Cyprus became an international one. In addition to continuing differences over Cyprus, disputes between Turkey and Greece continued over a number of sovereignty issues in the Aegean.

Following earthquakes in Greece and Turkey in 1999 relations between the two countries have greatly improved and both are pursuing a policy of rapprochement that has led to the signing of numerous bilateral agreements for greater co-operation as well as military confidence-building measures. The better relationship was a major factor in enabling EU member states to award candidate status to Turkey at the Helsinki European Council in December 1999 putting Turkey's relationship with the EU and Greece on a new footing.

National elections were held in Greece on 17 September 2007, with centre right ruling New Democracy party being re-elected with a wafer thin majority. Prime Minister Kostas Karamanlis visited Turkey in January 2008 in response to an invitation by his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan. This was the first official visit by a Greek Prime Minister to Turkey in 50 years. The Greek Prime Minister reiterated Greece's support for Turkey's European prospects.

You can find a more detailed account of developments in Greece on the Greece Country Profile.

Armenia

Turkey and Armenia have a troubled history. Between 1915 and 1916 an estimated 1.5 million ethnic Armenian citizens of the Ottoman Empire were killed. Many were massacred; others were victims of civil strife, starvation and disease which ravaged the whole population of Eastern Anatolia, including other minorities and Ottoman Turks during the First World War.

Armenia received worldwide diplomatic recognition in 1991, but diplomatic relations between Turkey and Armenia were never established. In 1993 Turkey closed its border with Armenia in response to the Nagorno Karabakh war and Armenia's occupation of Nagorno Karabakh and seven other 'occupied territories' of Azerbaijan.

Despite the troubled bilateral relationship, Turkey has provided a limited amount of humanitarian assistance to Armenia in the past, and the two countries work together in the Black Sea Economic Co-operation Organisation. Turkey has recently proposed a regional co-operation group to include Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia, Russia and themselves.

More recently, significant steps were made in Turkish-Armenian diplomatic relations when President Gul became the first Turkish President to visit Armenia by accepting an invitation to attend a World Cup qualifying football match in Yerevan. Both sides are openly determined to normalise bilateral relations and progress has continued with a trilateral meeting (including Azerbaijan) of Foreign Ministers.    

You can find a more detailed account of Armenia on the Armenia Country Profile.

Iraq

Turkey is keen to increase its diplomatic ties with Iraq. The main issue between the countries is how the two governments and the Kurdish regional authorites in northern Iraq can work together to find a resolution to PKK terrorists presence in the region. Conflicts between the Turkish military and the PKK continue on the Turkey-Iraq border.

You can find a more detailed account of Iraq on the Iraq Country Profile

Relations with the European Union (EU)

Turkey was the second country to sign a European association agreement in 1963. This provided for the eventual establishment of a European Community-Turkey Customs union, which finally came into effect on 1 January 1996, and paved the way for Turkey's eventual European Community accession. Turkey formally applied for membership in 1987. The European Commission recommended against that application in 1989 because of the need for further political and economic reform in Turkey and the need for the existing Community to focus its energy on achieving the 1992 deadline for the completion of the Single Market. Nonetheless, the Commission confirmed Turkey's eligibility for membership although its political and economic instability, together with the Greek/Turkish disputes, made talk of EU membership unrealistic during most of the 1990s. It was not until 1999 that the European Council formally accepted Turkey as a candidate.

The opening of negotiations was possible because Turkey has made the necessary legislative and constitutional amendments to meet the Copenhagen political criteria (a set of basic standards established at the 2002 European Council covering democracy, human rights and respect for minorities) Based on the 2004 European Commissions report on Turkey's progress, it was agreed at the December 2004 European Council that accession negotiations with Turkey would be opened on 3 October 2005.

EU negotiations are based on the accession criteria, or acquis, which is broken down into a series of both political and technical policy areas, known as ‘chapters’. Candidate countries, in this case Turkey, must meet the necessary standards specified by the European Commission within each chapter in order to be considered for full membership to the EU. The European Commission publish an annual progress report, which outlines areas of the acquis where reform is needed.

More information on the accession process can be found on the European Commission website.

Turkey's Accession Partnership with the EU was agreed on 12 December and adopted on 23 December 2005. It sets out priorities for Turkey on meeting the Copenhagen criteria and the assistance that the EU will provide. The Accession Partnership also calls on Turkey to take concrete steps for the normalisation of bilateral relations with all EU Member States as soon as possible. Turkey currently does not recognise the Republic of Cyprus.

The European Commission and all Member States expect Turkey to ensure full, non-discriminatory implementation of the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement (customs union between Turkey and the EU) to cover the new Member States who joined in 2004, including Cyprus. This includes the removal of all obstacles to the free movement of goods, and restrictions on means of transport.
 
At the December 2006 General Affairs and External Relations Council, EU Foreign Ministers met in Brussels to discuss Turkey's failure to implement the Additional Protocol to the Ankara Agreement. There was a great deal of support for Turkey's EU accession among EU Foreign Ministers but all agreed that the EU must respond. The Council agreed that until Turkey implements the Protocol:

• 8 chapters of negotiations relevant to the Ankara Protocol will not be opened
• No further chapters will be closed
• The Commission will monitor progress through the regular annual reports, particularly in 2007, 2008 and 2009
• The screening process will continue and chapters for which technical preparations have been completed will be opened in accordance with established procedures.

Turkey’s unofficial deadline for implementation of the protocol is autumn 2009, and to this end, EU Foreign Ministers said they looked forward to speedy progress on these issues.
 
After a turbulent year of parliamentary and presidential elections in 2007, the European Commission’s Annual Report for 2007 noted that Turkey urgently needed to renew its reform momentum. It further noted that more work needed to be done implementing legislation across many key areas including anti-corruption and judicial and agricultural reform, and detailed how Turkey needed to consolidate its work on the cultural and fundamental rights and freedoms of all groups in Turkey, including minority groups.

The accession process continued in 2008, but the Turkish Constitutional Court case to close the ruling AK Party brought further distraction from the political, economic and constitutional reforms needed to do for EU membership. Following the Court’s decision not to close the ruling party, Turkey can now focus on these reforms and better communicate them. Turkey’s ‘action plan’ for the adoption of the EU acquis was published on 31 December 2008. Turkey’s membership can bring increased regional stability and provide great benefits to both Turkey and the EU through its active role on many key global issues.

Since the commencement of negotiations in 2005 ten of the thirty three negotiation chapters have opened, one of which has been provisionally closed. It is hoped that further technical progress will be made during the Czech Presidency in 2009 with continued chapter openings.

Country information

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See Also

Useful Links

• UK Trade & Investment Country Profile: Turkey
• European Commission
• BBC News Country Timeline: Turkey

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