PhD Kristiina Koivunen
Observations on the situation of the Kurds

Introduction

Turkey's possible EU membership is a multidimensional question. In this report I concentrate on questions which are important from the point of view of the Kurds.

I analyse the 2004 Regular Report on Turkey's progress towards accession [1] and the Recommendation of the European Commission (from now in this report: Recommendation of the EC) [2] on such issues which are important for the Kurds residing in Turkey. I will follow issues presented in the 2004 Regular Report on Turkey and in the Recommendation of the EC.

The preparation of my report (as well as my life) was threatened very seriously when the bus in which I travelled overturned in the mountains between Van and Tatvan on the 30th October. Fortunately the bus fell on the mountain side of the road, rather than the gorge side. I was not seriously hurt, but no one is in proper working mood after a serious accident! This obviously has affected the writing process after my return to home. I would not have made this draft public if it were not a very special time for the Kurds - the last weeks before the 17th December 2004 deadline when the EC will decide whether it starts membership negotiations with Turkey.

I wish to thank all the people who helped me during the journey, as well in collecting information as if it were an everyday life issue. Especially I wish to thank the busy staff in Tatvan hospital who took care of me after the accident. Despite being a very traumatic experience, the accident showed me also how well Turkish people work under very difficult circumstances. In this report, there are examples of police routines that do not meet the EU standards, but in Tatvan hospital I saw that Turkish policemen can be also very polite and helpful when doing their work. It is natural that policemen are not brutal when they help victims of traffic accidents - they should behave the same way also when undertaking other duties.