World>Terrorism & Security
posted October 20, 2004, updated 12:30 a.m.
EU preparing for vote on Turkish accession
Entrance of Turkey would be as 'significant for Europe as D-Day.'
German Foreign Minister Joschka Fischer on Tuesday equated the importance of
Turkey's entry to the European Union to that of the D-Day invasion 60 years ago, reports the
BBC.Meeting with his counterpart, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul, Mr. Fischer emphasized that Turkey's entry must be seen in a strategic, "long-term" light and would be "a key way to liberate Europe from the threat of insecurity from the Middle East and 'terrorist ideas,'" reports the
BBC. Earlier this month, on October 6th, the European Commission, amid much public opposition, announced that full negotiations on Turkey's entrance to the EU could begin in December. "The commission's recommendations are expected to form the basis for discussion at a
Dec. 17 summit when all 25 EU leaders vote on whether to allow entry negotiations to begin," reports
Deutsche Welle. It will take a unanimous vote of the leaders of these 25 EU nations, to begin a process that analysts expect could take up to 10 years to complete.
But that vote is
far from certain according to a commentary piece in
The Daily Star written by Philip Robins, the author of "Suits and Uniforms: Turkish Foreign Policy Since the Cold War."
In order for EU-Turkish relations to stay on track, the December summit must do three things. First, it must name a date on which accession talks will actually begin rather than some more convoluted equation such as a date on which to consider a date. Second, that date must take into account Turkish domestic sensitivities as well as internal dynamics in France and Germany, which probably means negotiations starting sometime before the end of 2005. Third, the EU must resist the temptation to introduce new elements into the list of political conditionalities already detailed by the commission.
Turkey's
entrance into the European Union would not only bring a huge Muslim population into the EU, says
BBC News Online world affairs correspondent, Paul Reynolds "but would extend its boundaries deep into the Caucasus mountains and down towards the plains of ancient Mesopotamia." The geopolitical significance would be to "expand the EU so that it shared borders with Syria, Iraq, Iran, Georgia, and Armenia," says Mr. Roberts. Voting for Turkey's entry to the EU has become a
hotly-debated issue in a number of European countries, reports
The Turkish Daily News.
In France, President Jacques Chirac promised to hold a referandum. In Italy, an opposition party suggested that the government should hold a vote on Turkey's EU bid. A referendum was discussed as an option in Germany whose government is a firm Turkey backer but the main opposition [Christian Democratic Party] objects to Turkish accession. Mr. Fischer told the
BBC's Radio 4's program that, "Turkey is [the] heavyweight and will be the biggest [EU] country in the future." He continued:
'The big question will be is Europe ready to digest such a big member state?... bordering Syria, Iraq and Iran... Our security will be defined for at least five decades in this region... whether we like it or not.'
Turkey: a bridge to Europe, or a bridge too far? The positives per
analysis of the
BBC's Mr. Reynolds: •With Turkey in the EU, the EU would become "a link between East and West, between a continent with a Christian history and a land of Muslim faith in which both would respect religion, but not rely on religion to determine the course of government. •The EU "would extend the ties developed with Turkey through Nato into the more fundamental ties of political association." • The EU would "build on the strong secular nature of Turkish public life forged by the great Kemal Ataturk." •Erase centuries of "conflict in which the Ottoman Empire sought to stretch its hand into Europe and where memories of battles against the Turk still linger." •Compelling "a final rapprochement between Greece and Turkey - and a settlement in Cyprus which would obviously have to be part of any accession agreement." The negatives according to
Financial Express
: •Turkey is the poorest nation yet to join the EU and its living standards are at about a quarter of the existing EU standards. The prospect of poor Turks migrating to the West in a mass exodus is a major fear of the opposing EU member inhabitants. •With a population of nearly 70 million, Turkey is expected to surpass Germany as the largest nation in the EU, by the expected joining date of 2020, and thereby command nearly 15% of EU vote. EU members feel this would endow excessive power to Turkey to influence EU decision-making. •Turkey's geographical situation, straddling Europe and Middle East, means that upon expansion, the EU will be extended to the highly volatile and instable borders of Syria, Iran and Iraq. •For many, Turkey is not really a European country. It is "a majority Muslim country with sometimes secular ideals." There is another potential pitfall. It is that the vote in December be
treated differently from previous votes from other countries' accession, with unqiue measures added, reports
The New York Times. Turkey has warned against such measures.
Former Defense Minister Volker R���he, one of the few Christian Democrat deputies who has publicly favored Turkey's bid, said entry talks should not include secondary options, and he warned against watered-down compromises like a partnership agreement. 'The goal is clear: This is about Turkey's membership,' Mr. R���he said after the conservatives' talks with Mr. Gul on Tuesday. 'Once we have membership negotiations,' he said, 'it's a reality which everyone needs to adjust to.'
Also...
•
Member states of the European Union (
European Union)
•
EU report on Turkey - key points (
BBC)
• Feedback appreciated. E-mail
Jim Bencivenga
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