[A-List] EU integration struggles: Turkey

["Michael Keaney" <michael.keaney@xxxxxx>]

The news that applicant countries are on track to join the EU is being
greeted enthusiastically by Tony-supporting Independent Newspapers (prop.
"Sir" Tony O'Reilly). However there is concern about the position of
Turkey...


Adrian Hamilton: Exclusion of Turkey is dishonest, stupid and short-sighted
The Independent, 10 October 2002

There were two things missing from yesterday's report on the historic
enlargement of the European Union. One was optimism; the second was Turkey.

The two things - a vision to match the facts and a date for starting
negotiations with Turkey - are part of the same problem. Five years ago when
talks were first started to set a seal on the end of the Cold War and take
the EU into countries of the former Soviet bloc and Yugoslavia, history
seemed within the grasp of statesmen. There are moments, as Otto von
Bismarck, Germany's greatest chancellor, put it, when destiny passes by and
you must catch its cloak.

That remains true today. An expansion of the Union to take in 10 more
countries and 75 million more people within a couple more years is hardly
unambitious. But the truth that no political leader dare express in Europe
today is that no one within the existing Union particularly wants the
newcomers any more. Although the Irish may vote in favour of the Nice Treaty
in 10 days' time, opinion polls in France, Germany, Italy and elsewhere all
show the same loss of confidence in the institution. Given a deepening
recession, the citizens of Europe - if asked today - would cast their votes
overwhelmingly against the £60 per person extra cost that enlargement will
bring.

This is the truth of the decision not to give Turkey even a date for
starting to negotiate entry. The ostensible reason is that the Commission
does not feel that it is nearly ready. And there is no doubt the country is
not yet a "nice democracy". Journalists and writers are in jail for voicing
their views, the army remains powerful in the background and the Kurds are
still oppressed.

The Commission talks about readiness. The truth is that several members of
the Union are determined that Turkey never joins - the Greeks because of
historic enmity, the Germans because they fear an invasion of Turkish
workers and because they wish to see a northern-centred Europe, with Berlin
as its natural capital, rather than a Europe balanced around the
Mediterranean.

It is both dishonest and short-sighted. Turkey does indeed pose problems on
human rights and numbers (within 15 years it could have a population as high
as Germany). But in terms of economic development and political maturity
Turkey is in advance of Greece before it joined, or Portugal.

Visitors to Turkey today can vouch for the fact that the Turks now want to
join. Prices are widely quoted in euros as well as Turkish lire. There is
widespread support for the changes in the law on the death penalty and
criminal code that have been introduced to make Turkey a suitable candidate.
One can discuss the issue of the Kurds in a way that was inconceivable five
years ago.

Turkey is a country poised on the cusp of European style-change. And it's a
country that would - as its history as a member of Nato suggests - take its
responsibilities as a member of the EU extremely seriously (unlike a number
of existing members). With Turkey as a member, or prospective member, there
is also a far better chance to solve the problem of Cyprus.

To snub it, only weeks before Turkey goes to the polls in a general
election, is sheer stupidity. It is also foolish when bringing in a state
that bridges Europe with the Muslim world and holds such a pivotal role in
the Middle East and Central Asia holds such long-term advantages.

Expansion is running into the sand before it happens. The political leaders
of Europe need to rediscover the vision with which expansion was first
pursued when they meet at Copenhagen in December. And to rebalance the
future with a date for the Turks to start negotiations.