Thread by @viaduct_eu

The #VIADUCT_EU Online Conference is starting NOW!!

Our first panel is the Keynote Speech by @aneichhorst from the @eu_eeas, welcomed by @UniCologne's Wolfgang Wessels and @IEP_Berlin's @FundaTekin17

We'll be highlighting key moments here

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.@FundaTekin17 welcomes our broad audience to the conference: "The VIADUCT Network consists of 40 partner institutes and deals with EU-Turkey relations. Today we take stock of our activities over the last three years"

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Prof. Wolfgang Wessels from @UniCologne will soon introduce our Keynote speakers: @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas, the Managing Director for Western Europe, Western Balkans, Turkey and United Kingdom

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"VIADUCT is a promise. A promise to build bridges. Between our academic communities, between generations, across the Mediterranean. Our major task is to bring disparate peoples together"

- Wolfgang Wessels from @UniCologne begins his contribution to this Keynote session

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.@aneichhorst of the @eu_eeas now begins her keynote speech after a warm introduction from @UniCologne's Wolfgang Wessels

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"To frame the EU's perspective: there are differences in opinion on Turkey between the Member States, and so the solidarity principle comes into play. We are tied to making our relations with Turkey work best for our 27 Member States"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"There is a vast list of questions and issues, differences and histories that we need to work through"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"In March 2016, we had a good way of coming together with joint challenges and joint interests. That was the March 2016 statement [...] we have there a very solid package that has to be implemented"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"Come summer 2016, and the attempted coup, the EU was one of the first to condemn this. We reminded Turkey of the importance of the highest possible democratic standards, and of what their status as a candidate country means for the issues"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"Come 2018 and 2019, and drilling in waters that have been claimed legally by other countries, we have then been taken into the angle of how to get into a motion of debate and finding a solution"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"Come 2020, there isn't any partner in the world where the EU has more ways of working, and despite all these channels, we are now in a project solely of de-escalation"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"No one wants to be in this situation, so we always want to work towards a working relationship, a positive relationship"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"Now we say: refrain from unilateral actions, let us negotiate, work through the issues at hand, you cannot entrench on the sovereignty of others"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"The way forward for us now is a drive for dialogue, for multilateralism, for being inclusive and getting a process in motion where people actually sit and talk to each other"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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"We support the UN, the Secretary-General, and his effort to work through this"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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With that, @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas stops her speech and opens up to questions

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The first question refers to thew question of European solidarity: in a worst case scenario, how far is solidarity able to stretch?

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Next @aneichhorst is asked about the development of the relationship: is the 2019 Council decision a good one? What other incentives could be provided to Turkey? Could there be a critical juncture upcoming?

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"Dealing with candidate countries, I know that the accession process is super transparent. If candidate countries start to write their own rule books, we move into a different space. This is why talks are on hold."

- @aneichhorst begins her answers to the initial questions

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Our second round of questions starts with two topics: the concept of solidarity (how does the EU align Member States in foreign policy?) and the transactional relationship between Turkey and the EU (is this a tool to deal with Turkey?)

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Another question: is it up to Turkey to choose? Or is there an aspect of conditionality?

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"It's true that leaders of the Member States explain EU policy in a way that appeals to the national level, but in all we are very united on this topic"

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas tackles the first question from this second round

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"I believe the whole accession agenda is far more beneficial than a purely transactional relationship. It helps Turkey work on the internal dynamics we believe it needs to work on."

- @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas

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On that note, @aneichhorst from @eu_eeas finished her contribution to the #VIADUCT_EU Online Conference as Keynote Speaker

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.@FundaTekin17 from @IEP_Berlin thanks @aneichhorst for her contribution, noting the desire to negotiate towards a better relations in future, our current crisis period, and working towards the future: "This helps structure our thoughts for the rest of the conference"

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Thanks for tuning in to the Keynote Speech at the #VIADUCT_EU Online Conference. This afternoon, we divide into 5⃣ Working Groups

More to follow

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