Crisis group report urges Turkey, EU to revive negotiation process

The European Union should frequently and earnestly express that Turkey can gain full membership if it fulfills all the criteria for accession, the International Crisis Group, a top EU think-tank, said in a new report released yesterday. Stating that both sides need to remember how much they have to gain from each other and move quickly, the report said the loss of EU-bound momentum in the negotiation process would mean weak reform performance from Turkey and the potential loss of the principal anchor of this decade's "economic miracle" in the country. For Europe, the cost would be longer term, the report warned: less easy access to one of the biggest and fastest-growing nearby markets, likely new tensions over Cyprus, and loss of leverage that real partnership with Turkey offers in helping to stabilize the Middle East, strengthen EU energy security, and reach out to the Muslim world. The report also urged the Turkish government to pledge to restart EU reforms at the highest level.