Die türkische Kurdenpolitik im Kontext des EU-Beitrittsprozesses und der Kopenhagener Kriterien
Turkey´s Policy in the Kurdish Question in the Context of the EU-Accession Process and the “Copenhagen Criteria”.

Summary/Abstract: The EU accession perspectives have triggered a considerable reform process in Turkey. In the meantime, the ruling Islamic-Conservative „Party for Justice and Development“ (AKP) has passed several reforms despite harsh criticism of the opponents of the reform process in order to fulfil the EU demands and Copenhagen Criteria. On the whole, the reforms are a step in the right direction. Although certain progress was made, there are still substantial problems in enforcing these reforms. This is also due for the traditional Turkish Kurd policy that still staggers between dogmatic contents and liberalisation tendencies. It is still a constant motto to prevent the official acknowledgement of the Kurdish language and the political and cultural rights of the Kurds. Therefore they are not explicitly mentioned in any law text. To fulfil the political accession criteria of „respect and protection of minorities“, however, Ankara makes efforts on one hand to permit a limited slackening regarding the use of the language within the frame of individual rights. On the other hand, the practical transfer of this change of law is prevented by complicated regulations so that the reforms mainly fail. Finally, there still remains the basic question whether the reforms performed so far are really sufficient to adequately solve the historical conflict about political and cultural rights of the Kurds and to adequately meet their requirements.

• Details
• Contents