Turkey, EU find common ground in counterterrorism

ANKARA: The EU’s Counter-Terrorism Coordinator, Gilles de Kerchove, is in Turkey to discuss cooperation with the Turkish government on new ways of preventing and countering violent extremism as well as draining terrorists’ financial resources.
Turkey has welcomed the European Parliament’s recent announcement of a list of individuals and groups prohibited from entering its premises. That list including the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK), which is listed as a terrorist organization by Turkey, the EU and the US.
The PKK’s activities in Europe — especially pro-PKK demonstrations in several European cities — have been strongly criticized by Ankara. Turkey has requested that the EU ban the display of PKK symbols and flags across Europe, but has been told that decision ultimately falls to each individual member state.
In March, the German government instructed its federal authorities to ban PKK flags and the public display of images of Abdullah Ocalan, the jailed head of the terror group.
Before the end of this year, the EU is set to open negotiations for agreements on the transfer of personal data between Europol and Turkey in a bid to improve mechanisms for preventing and fighting terrorism and serious crimes.
Cigdem Nas, secretary-general of the Economic Development Foundation in Istanbul, said cooperation against terrorism is a critical area in which the EU and Turkey can work together, particularly in intelligence sharing, controlling the movements of foreign fighters, battling extremism, and halting the funding of terrorism.
Turkey is not yet a member of the EU, although it has been negotiating for full membership since October 2005.
“Fundamentally, Turkey’s and the EU’s interests in the fight against terrorism converge, particularly in the fight against Daesh and all forms of extremism, as well as a more elaborate cooperation in searching out links between organized crime and terrorism,” Nas told Arab News.
She pointed out, though, that the two have differing views on the status of the Kurdish-led militia People’s Protection Units (YPK). While Turkey does not differentiate between the PKK and the YPK, several EU states see the YPK as “a legitimate actor in Syria” which has made a vital contribution to the fight against Daesh.
However, Nas said: “Now that Daesh’s threat has been largely exterminated, the approach of the US and several EU member states may also change.”
Nas also noted a fundamental divergence between Turkey and the EU on the definition of terrorism.
“The EU has asked Turkey to revise its anti-terror legislation in line with EU norms within the framework of visa liberalization dialogue,” she said, explaining that the EU has said Turkey should limit its definition to acts of terror, rather than including expressions of opinion.
“This reflects the problem that is (hindering) Turkey’s EU accession process — i.e. a drift away from the Copenhagen criteria,” Nas added.