Fule says EU shooting itself in foot over Turkey

Stefan Fule, EU commissioner for enlargement and European neighborhood policy, spoke to a group of reporters in Brussels on the eve of issuing the EU progress report on Turkey and implicitly criticized the Greek Cypriot administration and France on Turkey’s accession. While stating that the EU has this time used strong language concerning Turkey, Fule said, "Behind closed doors I tell not only the Cypriot representative but other representatives as well that we are shooting ourselves in the foot by not allowing the accession process to go on those two chapters -- namely, on chapter 23 on the Judiciary and fundamental rights and chapter 15 on Energy." Fule underlined the gas and oil explorations in the Mediterranean, as well as Turkey’s importance in terms of energy routes, saying that the EU has great interests over chapter 15. Stating that they have held a meeting with Energy Commissioner Gunther Oettinger which was also attended by Turkish ministers in Stuttgart in May, Fule asked, "Why do we do this outside these relevant chapters? Why can we not do it within these chapters using all the instruments provided by this chapter?" Touching on the process of drafting a new constitution, Fule made it clear that he felt hopeful about the process and that the EU would hold Turkish politicians responsible for delivering on their promises to the Turkish people as part of election campaigns. "I am hopeful that the constitutional process will be used to put the Turks and Turkey together and will in no way be interpreted as a source of friction," Fule added.