End of EU Expansion
October 7, 2006
One day after returning from a trip to Turkey, where the country again made clear its desire to become a member of the European Union, Merkel came out against rapid expansion of the bloc after Romania and Bulgaria join at the beginning of 2007.
"We currently have adhesion discussions with Croatia and with Turkey, but we also know that in the foreseeable future, we can't accept any other member states," Merkel said in her weekly video podcast, which outlined German priorities as rotating president of the EU in 2007.
Those priorities are expected to be discussed Wednesday in Berlin, during a meeting between the German government and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso.
During her six months as EU president Merkel said Germany would try to "make Europe closer to its citizens," by attempting to answer the "skeptical questions" Europeans are asking themselves about the union.
"Isn't there too much bureaucracy? Can Europe protect our security? Are we not out of our depth, because we can't clearly establish our borders?" the German chancellor asked, citing several such questions she want to answer.
EU borders need definition
She also urged Europe to delineate its borders, and called for open discussions with Turkey.
"The adhesion negotiation with Turkey should take place without any preconceived objective," Merkel said.
Turkey's potential membership is a divisive issue within the 25-member block, and some countries are deeply skeptical about admitting the large and populous Muslim state. Merkel is one of the leading proponents of offering Turkey a '"privileged partnership" instead of full EU membership.
The EU Commission is due to release a report next month on whether Turkey has made enough progress in reforms to qualify for EU entry amid warnings that membership negotiations may be suspended unless Turkey opens full trade relations with Cyprus, which joined the EU along with nine other countries in 2004.
As for the stalled European constitution, the German leader said Europe needed a "constitutional contract that clarifies which responsibilities belong to Europe, and which to nation states."
Last month, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said Germany would focus on creating a timetable to revive the European Constitution, which French and Dutch voters rejected by last summer.
"Many fear that everything should be directed by Europe," Merkel said, "and that should not be the case."