LINKS began work on a project to assist the Turkish Parliament in their EU accession negotiations in June in Ankara with a two day seminar examining the role of Turkish Parliamentarians in the process of Turkey’s accession to the European Union. This event brought together parliamentarians, civil society and other key actors to begin the process of mapping out the work that requires to be undertaken to allow the Parliament to play a key role in the negotiation process.
The UK launch of project took place in July with a series of meetings involving the participation of parliamentarians, government officials, media, think tanks, businessmen and academics from both countries. Speaking at the launch event at the Palace of Westminster, the former UK Minister for Europe, the Rt Hon Denis MacShane MP said “Turkey joining the EU is a win-win solution and we need more energy and enthusiasm from the EU and Turkey on this ambitious project. The goal of a giant secular democracy of Muslim citizens joining the EU is a strategic prize from which Europe will gain most”.
Mr MacShane will lead a task force of British and European Parliamentarians which is being established within the framework of the project to provide support to Turkish colleagues as they embark on the process of preparing Turkey for EU accession.
LINKS will work with the Committee on European Integration of the Turkish Grand National Assembly (Parliament) and our local partner, the Turkish Democracy Foundation, to implement this project over the next two years. The project is supported by the Global Opportunities Fund of the Foreign and Commonwealth Office of the UK.
