The Czech Republic's Stefan Fuele, the incoming enlargement chief, told European lawmakers in Brussels that Turkey could become a full EU member during his tenure. He told a committee vetting his candidacy that he "respects the achievements" Turkey has made, saying Ankara is an important regional partner with a special role to play in the European energy sector. ... Turkey embarked on its accession negotiations with the European Union in 2005. Ankara has moved on a series of concessions meant to meet the policy requirements to join Europe. It faces obstacles, however, on various provisions over the island of Cyprus.
He told a committee vetting his candidacy that he "respects the achievements" Turkey has made, saying Ankara is an important regional partner with a special role to play in the European energy sector.
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Turkey embarked on its accession negotiations with the European Union in 2005. Ankara has moved on a series of concessions meant to meet the policy requirements to join Europe. It faces obstacles, however, on various provisions over the island of Cyprus.
The Czech Republic's candidate for the European Commission successfully completed his hearing in front of the European Parliament in Brussels on Tuesday, despite fears that his communist past might lead some deputies to question his appointment. Stefan Fuele was nominated as Enlargement and Neighbourhood policy commissioner. He was only 27 when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, but between 1981 and 1986 he trained in the Soviet Union at Moscow's State Institute of International Relations, and he was an active member of the Czechoslovakian communist party. Fuele, now a socialist, told members of parliament (MEP) that his personal history is 'a result of the time and place I grew up in.' But he added that his 'record in the last 20 years,' which he spent as a diplomat at the UN, in Lithuania, the Britain and NATO representing Czechoslovakia first and then the Czech Republic, 'is clear.'
Stefan Fuele was nominated as Enlargement and Neighbourhood policy commissioner. He was only 27 when the Berlin Wall came down in 1989, but between 1981 and 1986 he trained in the Soviet Union at Moscow's State Institute of International Relations, and he was an active member of the Czechoslovakian communist party.
Fuele, now a socialist, told members of parliament (MEP) that his personal history is 'a result of the time and place I grew up in.' But he added that his 'record in the last 20 years,' which he spent as a diplomat at the UN, in Lithuania, the Britain and NATO representing Czechoslovakia first and then the Czech Republic, 'is clear.'
Stefan Fuele, who has been nominated as the EU's enlargement chief, said the door was open to Turkey despite opposition in some member states and that accession talks were the best way to encourage economic and political reforms. But he made clear the chances of progress by Turkey were limited if it failed to open its ports and airports to EU-member Cyprus under a 2005 agreement known as the Ankara protocol. ... The EU is also frustrated, mainly by the lack of progress in Turkey's relations with Cyprus, although Fuele said he also had concerns about religious freedoms in Turkey.
But he made clear the chances of progress by Turkey were limited if it failed to open its ports and airports to EU-member Cyprus under a 2005 agreement known as the Ankara protocol.
The EU is also frustrated, mainly by the lack of progress in Turkey's relations with Cyprus, although Fuele said he also had concerns about religious freedoms in Turkey.
