Turkey urged to ignore EU turmoil

5-6-2

ANKARA,　Turkey　(Reuters)　--　Turkey　should　disregard　the　turmoil　in　Europe　sparked　by　France's　"No"　to　the　EU　constitution　and　focus　single-mindedly　on　implementing　reforms　needed　to　join　the　bloc,　an　EU　envoy　said　on　Tuesday.

French　voters　rejected　the　charter　in　a　referendum　on　Sunday,　partly　due　to　concerns　over　the　EU's　eastern　enlargement　including　plans　to　open　entry　talks　with　Turkey　in　October.

The　constitution　makes　no　direct　reference　to　Turkish　membership,　but　French　"No"　campaigners　successfully　played　on　voters'　fears　of　eventually　admitting　a　large,　relatively　poor　and　mainly　Muslim　country　bordering　Iraq　and　Iran.

"If　Turkey　does　its　homework　properly,　that　is　also　the　best　way　to　avoid　the　criticism　leveled　(from　Europe)　against　Turkey　and　its　ability　to　fulfil　the　requirements,"　said　Hans-Joerg　Kretschmer,　the　executive　European　Commission's　envoy　to　Ankara.

"This　must　be　the　leitmotif　for　Turkey,　to　concentrate　exclusively　on　the　substance　of　its　reforms."

He　told　Reuters　he　remained　hopeful　that　Turkey　would　begin　entry　talks　on　time　and　may　even　open　negotiations　in　one　or　two　policy　areas,　or　"chapters",　by　year-end,　despite　the　French　"No"　and　a　likely　further　rejection　of　the　charter　in　Wednesday's　Dutch　referendum.

"We　can't　exclude　the　possibility　that　political　factors　may　come　into　play,"　he　said,　noting　that　Turkey　will　feature　on　the　agenda　of　an　EU　summit　in　mid-June.

Turks　are　also　concerned　that　a　victory　for　Germany's　center-right　Christian　Democrats　(CDU)　in　an　expected　September　election　could　also　hurt　their　EU　hopes.　The　CDU　strongly　opposes　Turkish　membership,　favoring　instead　a　"special　partnership".

"If　Turkey　fulfils　its　homework　in　all　respects,　I　do　not　think　there　will　be　any　major　attempt　to　stop　this　(accession)　process,"　Kretschmer　said.

"In　many　EU　countries　we　see　a　skeptical　public　opinion　(on　Turkey),　but　the　best　way　to　tackle　this　is　...　to　show　Turkey　is　becoming　a　mainstream　European　country　which　practices　the　rule　of　law,　respect　for　minorities　and　so　forth."

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