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12/16/2004
Turkey and the EU
**Returns January 6**
It’s been five years since the European Commission accepted
Turkey as an official candidate. This Friday, December 17,
European Union leaders will finally decide on starting
membership talks. If approved, as expected, Turkey still faces
about ten years of negotiations and demands for reform.
[Due to travel I’m posting this piece early and I see that France is
once again causing problems, this time demanding Turkey
apologize for its forced deportation and killing of Armenians in
1915 before accession is granted.]
Here are some of the arguments for and against Turkey’s
membership in the EU as spelled out in the Turkish Daily News,
Dec. 13.
Geography
Con: Turkey lies 97 percent in Asia, it’s not European.
Pro: Astride two continents, Turkey will be a bridge between
Europe, Asia and the Middle East.
Religion / Culture
Con: Turkey is religiously and culturally too different, a Muslim
nation seeking membership in a Christian club.
Pro: Membership will boost Europe’s cultural diversity and send
an important message to Islamic nations struggling to develop
democracy and human rights.
History
Con: Turkey was not part of a shared history of Europe that
fueled the drive for unity from the ruins of World War II.
Pro: Since the fall of the Ottoman Empire at the end of WWI,
Turkey has looked west, sought to embrace European values and
loyally buttressed European security as a NATO ally.
Economy
Con: Turkey is too poor and will drag Europe down, soaking up
EU funding needed by other members.
Pro: Turkey has a vibrant market economy, offering
opportunities for Europe and high growth potential.
Security
Con: Bring in Turkey and the EU will have borders with Iraq,
Iran, the Caucasus, Syria. It’s still threatened by Kurdish unrest.
Membership will import instability.
Pro: Turkey anchored in the EU will be a bulwark against
regional turmoil and a beacon of stability for its neighbors to
emulate.
Immigration
Con: Millions of Turks will pour west to seek jobs once EU
border restrictions are lifted.
Pro: Workers will be encouraged to stay put as the Turkish
economy reaps benefits of EU membership.
Human rights, democracy
Con: Torture remains widespread in Turkish jails, rights for
ethnic, religious minorities still are not respected. The army
remains too powerful. Women, especially in rural areas, do not
enjoy western-style equality.
Pro: Turkey has made sweeping legal changes demanded by the
EU to uphold democratic values and practices. Torture has been
outlawed, minority rights enshrined in law, the death penalty
abolished. The role of the army has been diminished.
Size
Con: Turkey could dominate the EU because its fast growing
population will make it the bloc’s largest nation with 90 million
people by 2025.
Pro: By the time Turkey joins, an EU constitution will limit the
powers of bigger members.
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Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan has made the following
comments on Turkey’s candidacy in various forums over the past
few days.
Ankara will not agree to any summit outcome offering Turkey
anything less than full membership.
--“Now that there is nothing left on the table, the 25 member
states of the EU should do what is necessary. (Turkey’s
expectations are), First, the summit should set full membership
as a target for Turkey. Second, start of accession talks without
need for a second decision. Third, no new condition that is not
included in the Copenhagen criteria.
--“I get the impression Turkey is being held to stricter criteria
than other candidates. No other country had to wait 41 years at
the door of the European Union. We have done all that was
demanded of us, and the Europeans are still hesitating. That can
clearly be called discrimination.”
--“Accepting a country that has brought together Islam and
democracy will bring about harmony between civilizations. If,
on the other hand, it is not welcomed, the world will have to put
up with the present situation,” he said, referring to terrorism by
such groups as al-Qaeda – whose local affiliates hit Turkey last
year, bombing the British consulate and three other targets in
Istanbul .
“That is the very clear and present danger and it is all around us
today. There is nothing we can do if the EU feels that it can live
with being simply a Christian club but if these countries burn
their bridges with the rest of the world, history will not forgive
them .
“We are Muslim, we are Turkish, we are democratic and our
country is secular. Nothing else need be said .
“There are 400,000 Turks already living in France what have
we done to make them so afraid? We find it hard to understand
what it is the French do not understand about us that makes them
so wary. There is no such thing in the EU as privileged
partnership. No other country has been offered this and there is
no way that we will accept such an option for Turkey.”
[Sources: Turkish Daily News, Times of London]
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I am off to South America. Hott Spotts will return January 6. In
the meantime, scan the archives!
Merry Christmas and Happy New Year.
Brian Trumbore
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