New EU president urged to clarify position on Turkey's future

The EU parliament's Green party on Friday called on Herman Van Rompuy, the first EU president, to clarify his position regarding Turkey's candidature, which he opposed in a speech in 2004.

"I am concerned about the nomination of a politician, who has argued with conviction that Turkey joining would constitute a threat to Europe's fundamental values, as European Council head," said Green MEP Helene Flautre, co-president of the European parliament's EU-Turkey committee.

Belgian Prime Minister Van Rompuy, chosen by EU leaders at a Brussels summit Thursday, "must explain himself on Turkey" she insisted, adding that the great support shown to him by German Chancellor Angela Merkel and French President Nicolas Sarkozy, "is undoubtedly not unconnected to his 'former' conviction regarding Turkey."

The EU Green party supports Turkish entry into the EU, although accession negotiations are moving at slow pace.

France and Germany in contrast remain opposed to Turkey’s EU entry due to the country’s the largely Muslim population, and would prefer to offer Ankara some kind of privileged partnership.

In December 2004, addressing the Belgian parliament while in opposition, Van Rompuy declared, "An expansion of the EU to include Turkey cannot be considered as just another expansion as in the past.

"The universal values which are in force in Europe, and which are also fundamental values of Christianity, will lose vigor with the entry of a large Islamic country such as Turkey."

The speech was recently picked up by the British press, which has been critical of Van Rompuy. Britain also favors accepting Turkey into the EU.

Van Rompuy's entourage sought to play down the row, stressing that the comments in question were those of an opposition MP rather than a government position.