’AKP supporters most pro-Europe’

In the early days of the Justice and Development Party, or AKP, the party’s constituency ranked fourth among those supporting Turkey’s European Union bid. Now, the AKP’s constituency ranks first according to polls conducted by the party, said Egemen Bağış, Turkey’s chief negotiator with the EU. Bağış spoke to a group of journalists here yesterday, evaluating his first six month as chief negotiator.

Bağış said the government was ready to push for further reforms but the opposition was not being helpful. "It is very difficult to endorse legal amendments in Parliament when the opposition does not cooperate," he said. Bağış was reminded that delay in certain changes were not due to the opposition’s obstruction but rather due to the government dragging its feet, such as forming an independent body for public procurement or an independent institution to investigate corruption. Bağış said sometimes progress took time because of bureaucracy. He said the office of PMhas prepared a document on the strategy to fight corruption and it was sent to the relevant state institutions for their views. "The government has not stopped working. We are working faster compared to the past," he said.

Turkey plans to open talks on the EU’s environment chapter, said Bağış, adding that a 1,400-page action plan on the environment was sent to the European Commission. The cost for the adoption of EU’s rules and regulations on environment differs from $12 billion to $70 billion, according to Bağış.

Cyprus problem

Bağış does not see a crisis at year’s end when the EU is to review the negotiation process if by that time Turkey has not opened its ports to shipping from Greek Cyprus. "Yes, we have certain commitments. But the EU has commitments on Cyprus that it did not fulfill, too," said Bağış, recalling that the 27-nation bloc did not start direct trade with Turkish Cyprus despite the decision it made in 2004. "Opening the ports to Greek Cypriot vessels does not mean that we recognize Greek Cyprus," said Bağış recalling that Greek vessels could enter Turkish ports until 1987.

"But we need to see good will from the EU, too. There should be simultaneous steps," he said. Starting direct trade with Turkish Cyprus or opening the Ercan airport to international aviation are some of the good-will steps that have been mentioned by Bağış.

He dismissed criticism of the way the AKP has been passing reform laws. He did not accept the criticism by the Turkish Industrialists' and Businessmen's Association, which voiced its disapproval of the gov’t hastily passing a reform after midnight to open the way for military officials to be judged by civilian courts.