European press gives generous coverage to framework document for Turkey

The European press gave generous coverage to the EU Commission's acceptance yesterday of the Framework for Accession Talks Document prepared as a roadmap for Turkey. Many newspapers noted that despite the crisis in the EU, the organization was not going to give up on its promises to Turkey, predicting though that the requirements would now be stiffer. Other newspapers attested that attempts to stop Turkey's accession process had been defeated. The Financial Times of London, for its part, carried a cartoon depicting Prime Minister Erdogan as a beleaguered football player trying to kick a ball into a goal guarded by more than 20 goalies. Financial Times: The timing could not be worseThe Financial Times carried a few stories on the Accession Talks Framework Document. A line from one of them said "Poor Turkey. After staying in the waiting room for 42 years, the timing could not be worse for the start of talks." Die Welt: The road to privileged partnership The German newspaper Die Welt attested yesterday that the roadmap revealed by the EU Commission supports a privileged partnership more than full membership for Turkey in the EU. Saying that the roadmap clarifies that the success or failure of the talks depends on Turkey, the article in Die Welt stressed: "Actually, this is the path towards privileged partnership....Now it is up to the 25 member countries to make this an official alternative."Le Monde: No new requirementsThe French newspaper Le Monde stressed in an article that none of the requirments in the Framework Document had been renewed, and that the EU Commission had wanted to reassure Turkey. Noting that the EU Commission did not want to worry the people of EU countries, Le Monde pointed out that the document makes it clear that EU membership is not a guarantee at the end of the talks. Berliner Zeitung: Everything has become ambigiousAnother German newspaper, the Berliner Zeitung, noted that "Even if there is a bit of excitement about Turkish EU membership, the fact remains that it the past weeks, everything has become ambigious." An opinion piece in the newspaper puts forth the belief that in the midst of budget and constitutional crises, the EU should put aside all thoughts of expansion.Austrian newspaper Der Standard weighs inThe Austrian newspaper Der Standard carried an opinion piece stating that the EU should be honest with Turkey: "If Turkey is not wanted as a member, then it should be told so before the talks start." Â