Seán Crowe (Dublin South West, Sinn Fein) | Oireachtas source

I extend a warm welcome to the Turkish Minister. I am a Sinn Féin Deputy. While our party is not ideologically opposed to Turkish accession, we are aware that many in Europe are for reasons ranging from economic concerns to pure racism. There are others who have strategic concerns about whether the EU wishes to have a border with Syria and Iraq.

Some people share strategic concerns about whether the EU wants to have a border with countries such as Syria and Iraq because of their difficulties. Our position is that Turkey should have the right to join if it meets the criteria on human rights, rule of law and so on. Cyprus and the situation of the Kurds is a key area of concern. I presume this is part of the discussions and difficulties that Turkey will encounter in its application process. As Mr. Bagis said, it is a long time to wait for accession. I have no difficulty with the idea that the Irish Government would examine many of the difficulties facing his country.

Turkey still occupies the north of Cyprus. It is the only state in the world to recognise the Turkish republic of northern Cyprus. For many countries and parties within the EU, recognition of the rights of the Cypriot nation would be a precondition for Turkish entry into the EU. I am aware that direct talks between the two communities there began in 2008. Does Mr. Bagis expect those talks to continue from the point where President Christofias and Mr. Talat left them? Many would see the occupation and colonisation of the country as a war crime. Does Mr. Bagis not think that withdrawing his country's troops and settlers would contribute to peace and stability in this turbulent region? There is a similar situation in Palestine where settlers are coming in and creating difficulties. Does he not accept that Turkey must withdraw its forces from Cypriot soil before it can realistically be considered as a candidate country for the EU? Does Turkey recognise the right of the Cypriot people to exploit their own natural resources, including those that may be found at sea? These issues represent some of the difficulties Turkey will face.

Legacy issues arise from past conflicts. We in Ireland share these in respect of similar difficulties. I was pleased to see that the committee on missing persons in Cyprus is proceeding with a humanitarian task and is exemplary in the communal project to alleviate the pain and sorrow that people are experiencing in that part of the world. Does Turkey intend to give Cyprus full access to military zones and the war archives, where the records of clearing the battlefields are kept, to facilitate the location, exhumation and identification through DNA of the 2,000 missing persons in Cyprus? Would Mr. Bagis regard that as a positive step in trying to resolve that issue?

Another speaker mentioned Kurdistan and the difficulties there. Will Turkey move swiftly to engage with Kurdish representatives? I am aware that there were negotiations during the recent hunger strike in many of the jails and there was hope that initiatives would be taken in respect of various NGOs and the BDP to find a solution because many lives have been lost. This instability and difficulties are issues being raised in connection with Turkey's access to the EU.