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United Press Int'l, US
Dec 15 2004
Analysis: Turkey's moment of truth
Date: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 8:50:21 AM EST By CLAUDE SALHANI,
UPI International Editor
ANKARA, Turkey, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- In all probability, next Friday,
Dec. 17, will be the most important date for Turkey since Mustafa
Kemal -- or Ataturk -- founded the modern Turkish Republic in 1923,
following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
No other event since then is likely to alter the lives of Turkey's 70
million people to that extent. The impact of Turkey's accession to
full EU membership will no doubt be gradual, but it will affect
multiple aspects of Turkish life, such as the economy, trade and
eventually, free movement of its people within the EU.
The Turkish press speaks of a historic day, one of monumental
proportions. Indeed, there is great optimism in Turkey that on this
day the European Union will give Ankara the much-anticipated green
light, thereby setting a date for talks that will finally bring
Turkey into Europe's fold.
This, of course, is assuming there are no last-minute snags. As the
deadline approaches, there remain a number of "Turkey-skeptics" who
would like to impose certain conditions on Turkey's accession,
something Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan rejects off-hand.
Erdogan insists that the accession talks be initiated without any
preconditions.
Only last Monday French President Jacques Chirac rocked the boat by
saying Turkey should apologize for the Armenian genocide, something
Turkey is unlikely to do.
Additionally, Turkey refuses to be forced to recognize Nicosia; a
sensitive issue in light of the Greek half of Cyprus recently joining
the EU.
Turkey rejects the notion of "permanent safeguards" restricting the
movement of its workers to other EU countries, some of which worry of
a sudden influx of Turkish migrants.
Turkey insists on full EU membership, rejecting any second-tier
compromise. Ankara is pushing Brussels for a clear date, insisting
there should be no more delays, saying they have implemented all the
necessary changes and are more than ready to join Europe.
In fact, Turkey has already changed as a direct result of the
European Union. The Turks have moved in giant strides towards
democratization, rule of law, respect of human rights and other
demands stipulated by the Copenhagen criteria, prerequisites for
admission into the EU. These changes were implemented to pave
Turkey's entry into the Brussels club.
In a flurry of last minute campaigning, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan shuttled around European capitals to garner support
for Turkey's EU bid. At one such meeting in the Belgian capital last
Friday, a sort of pep rally attended by some 300 Turkish business
executives, one could not help feeling that history was in the
making. To say the air was electrifying would not have done justice
to the event.
There was a feeling among the organizers and participants -- among
which Erdogan and his foreign minister, Abdullah Gull, were in
attendance -- that they were on the verge of a historic beginning for
Turkey.
Dec. 17 will be the start of what is certain to turn out to be a long
and torturous road ahead for Turkish and EU negotiators. But it is
also the beginning of the culmination of a road that started some 41
years ago, the first time Turkey came knocking on Brussels' door.
Ever since, Ankara realized it would need to make amends, accepting
the fact that it would have to transform itself into a Western-styled
democracy.
Despite occasional setbacks and periodic accusations from Brussels
and other European capitals that changes were not going at a fast
enough pace, the country did change. Many of the changes were made
since Erdogan was elected to the prime ministership, and that,
despite the fact that the ruling party -- the AKP, or Justice and
Development Party -- is an Islamist party.
Proponents of Turkey's accession like to remind that Turkey has been
undergoing these changes for many years, and that it is now finally
ready to join the European family. In fact, some observers put
forward the notion that Turkey has been looking toward Europe long
before the creation of the EU -- ever since the French Revolution of
1789. It was only a matter of time for it to find its natural place
with the rest of Europe. Erdogan reminded the audience in Brussels
last week that "the Ottomans were called the sick man of Europe, and
not of Asia."
"This is not time for European amnesia," said Pat Cox, a former
president of the European Parliament at the Brussels meeting.
"The time to say yes is now; the time to say yes has come," said Cox.
To those who worry of a massive Turkish invasion of tens of thousands
of Turkish migrant workers flooding the European Union looking for
jobs in Paris, Lisbon or Madrid, Prime Minister Erdogan said, "Turks
will come back to Turkey once the economy improves thanks to the EU."
This was true of Spain, Portugal, Greece and Ireland, countries that
have seen record high numbers of their citizens leave for jobs in
other European countries, but have returned once the economy and
standards of living improved.
Erdogan says the same will happen in Turkey. He backed up his claims
with these facts: Turkey's exports rose to $60 billion, a 13.5
percent growth; 17 million tourists traveled to Turkey in 2004,
generating some $12.5 billion; inflation dropped from 33 percent to
10 percent, and the target for 2005 is 8 percent; Turkey's per capita
income today stands at $4,100; and finally next January the
government will drop six zeroes from the Turkish lira, simplifying
life. A short taxi ride in town can cost 7 million liras today -- or
about $6.
Until Friday, Turkey is holding its collective breath. As Pat Cox
commented, "Next week's summit meeting is the moment of truth."
Dec 15 2004
Analysis: Turkey's moment of truth
Date: Wednesday, December 15, 2004 8:50:21 AM EST By CLAUDE SALHANI,
UPI International Editor
ANKARA, Turkey, Dec. 15 (UPI) -- In all probability, next Friday,
Dec. 17, will be the most important date for Turkey since Mustafa
Kemal -- or Ataturk -- founded the modern Turkish Republic in 1923,
following the collapse of the Ottoman Empire.
No other event since then is likely to alter the lives of Turkey's 70
million people to that extent. The impact of Turkey's accession to
full EU membership will no doubt be gradual, but it will affect
multiple aspects of Turkish life, such as the economy, trade and
eventually, free movement of its people within the EU.
The Turkish press speaks of a historic day, one of monumental
proportions. Indeed, there is great optimism in Turkey that on this
day the European Union will give Ankara the much-anticipated green
light, thereby setting a date for talks that will finally bring
Turkey into Europe's fold.
This, of course, is assuming there are no last-minute snags. As the
deadline approaches, there remain a number of "Turkey-skeptics" who
would like to impose certain conditions on Turkey's accession,
something Prime Minister Recep Tayyib Erdogan rejects off-hand.
Erdogan insists that the accession talks be initiated without any
preconditions.
Only last Monday French President Jacques Chirac rocked the boat by
saying Turkey should apologize for the Armenian genocide, something
Turkey is unlikely to do.
Additionally, Turkey refuses to be forced to recognize Nicosia; a
sensitive issue in light of the Greek half of Cyprus recently joining
the EU.
Turkey rejects the notion of "permanent safeguards" restricting the
movement of its workers to other EU countries, some of which worry of
a sudden influx of Turkish migrants.
Turkey insists on full EU membership, rejecting any second-tier
compromise. Ankara is pushing Brussels for a clear date, insisting
there should be no more delays, saying they have implemented all the
necessary changes and are more than ready to join Europe.
In fact, Turkey has already changed as a direct result of the
European Union. The Turks have moved in giant strides towards
democratization, rule of law, respect of human rights and other
demands stipulated by the Copenhagen criteria, prerequisites for
admission into the EU. These changes were implemented to pave
Turkey's entry into the Brussels club.
In a flurry of last minute campaigning, Turkey's Prime Minister Recep
Tayyip Erdogan shuttled around European capitals to garner support
for Turkey's EU bid. At one such meeting in the Belgian capital last
Friday, a sort of pep rally attended by some 300 Turkish business
executives, one could not help feeling that history was in the
making. To say the air was electrifying would not have done justice
to the event.
There was a feeling among the organizers and participants -- among
which Erdogan and his foreign minister, Abdullah Gull, were in
attendance -- that they were on the verge of a historic beginning for
Turkey.
Dec. 17 will be the start of what is certain to turn out to be a long
and torturous road ahead for Turkish and EU negotiators. But it is
also the beginning of the culmination of a road that started some 41
years ago, the first time Turkey came knocking on Brussels' door.
Ever since, Ankara realized it would need to make amends, accepting
the fact that it would have to transform itself into a Western-styled
democracy.
Despite occasional setbacks and periodic accusations from Brussels
and other European capitals that changes were not going at a fast
enough pace, the country did change. Many of the changes were made
since Erdogan was elected to the prime ministership, and that,
despite the fact that the ruling party -- the AKP, or Justice and
Development Party -- is an Islamist party.
Proponents of Turkey's accession like to remind that Turkey has been
undergoing these changes for many years, and that it is now finally
ready to join the European family. In fact, some observers put
forward the notion that Turkey has been looking toward Europe long
before the creation of the EU -- ever since the French Revolution of
1789. It was only a matter of time for it to find its natural place
with the rest of Europe. Erdogan reminded the audience in Brussels
last week that "the Ottomans were called the sick man of Europe, and
not of Asia."
"This is not time for European amnesia," said Pat Cox, a former
president of the European Parliament at the Brussels meeting.
"The time to say yes is now; the time to say yes has come," said Cox.
To those who worry of a massive Turkish invasion of tens of thousands
of Turkish migrant workers flooding the European Union looking for
jobs in Paris, Lisbon or Madrid, Prime Minister Erdogan said, "Turks
will come back to Turkey once the economy improves thanks to the EU."
This was true of Spain, Portugal, Greece and Ireland, countries that
have seen record high numbers of their citizens leave for jobs in
other European countries, but have returned once the economy and
standards of living improved.
Erdogan says the same will happen in Turkey. He backed up his claims
with these facts: Turkey's exports rose to $60 billion, a 13.5
percent growth; 17 million tourists traveled to Turkey in 2004,
generating some $12.5 billion; inflation dropped from 33 percent to
10 percent, and the target for 2005 is 8 percent; Turkey's per capita
income today stands at $4,100; and finally next January the
government will drop six zeroes from the Turkish lira, simplifying
life. A short taxi ride in town can cost 7 million liras today -- or
about $6.
Until Friday, Turkey is holding its collective breath. As Pat Cox
commented, "Next week's summit meeting is the moment of truth."