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Opinion: Gunduz Aktan

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  • Opinion: Gunduz Aktan

    16 December 2004
    Copyright © Turkish Daily News

    Opinion: Gunduz Aktan

    Summary

    I am writing this article not knowing how different the Dec. 17
    European Union summit decision will be from the fourth version,
    but we can say the likely changes will be more in wording than in
    content as the EU's attitude towards our membership appears inflexible.
    It seems likely we will get a date to start negotiations at the summit
    in 2005 with the objective being full membership.

    However, the start of the process doesn't necessarily mean it will
    progress smoothly. Cyprus, the Aegean, minorities (Kurds and Alawis),
    the supposed Armenian "genocide" and restricted membership that doesn't
    correspond with full membership puts the whole process in doubt.
    Some may think all these obstacles will be overcome one by one, but
    all of them preventing progress at the same time should be seen as
    a possibility.

    It is being said we cannot refuse Greek Cypriot demands to
    recognize them because "they will be a party as a EU member in the
    negotiations." However, how can we refuse to withdraw our military
    forces from the island, and refrain from interfering in the domestic
    political structure and its constitutional order when we become the
    occupiers of the north of an EU member country? Greece failed to apply
    to the court to resolve the Aegean matter. Consequently, we won't be
    able to declare a EU member that we will face at the negotiation table
    deciding to extend its continental shelf would be considered a casus
    belli. We will have to accept their demands and if the matter goes to
    court in The Hague, we will lose the Aegean entirely. It seems like
    the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK/Kongra-Gel) will continue to conduct
    terrorist acts perpetrated by Kurdish students at universities, rallies
    and through civil disobedience in order to establish an autonomous
    region in the Southeast. If the concept of minority, as defined in
    the progress report of Oct. 6, becomes a political condition we need
    to fulfill in the new Accession Partnership Document to be prepared
    in April 2005, it can be used to further autonomy demands.

    French Foreign Minister Michel Barnier says he would present the
    recognition of the "Armenian tragedy" as a condition at the negotiation
    table. This means we will need to recognize the genocide allegations by
    the end of the negotiations. The suspension of negotiations or issues
    that are backed with a veto threat and the sacrifices we need to make
    in order to appease will eventually result in chaotic public relations.

    If Angela Merkel and Edmund Stoiber in Germany in 2006 and Nicholas
    Sarkozy in France in 2007 come to power and suspend the membership
    negotiations like they say they will, the process that will start
    after Dec. 17 will become meaningless. Moreover, if the summit
    decision includes certain "derogations" in the freedom of movement,
    the agricultural sector and structural policies -- in other words the
    treatment accorded to Turkey differs from the fundamental values of
    the EU -- we will actually devolve into a privileged partnership. We
    will miss out on the main financial assistance accorded to member
    countries such as farming subsidies and structural funds. The people
    will naturally question the benefits of making so many sacrifices
    and what we are negotiating for.

    The government did more than its share in satisfying the EU's
    conditions and it issued the necessary warnings, but if the decision
    comes out as it is, it will become obvious the EU does not want us
    as members, or is not ready to accept us.

    Under such conditions, the government may announce issues it cannot
    accept and reject the EU summit decision. This way, the EU may be
    forced to rethink its attitude that is limited, segregationist and
    prejudicial. Let's not forget the fact that prejudicial actions are
    always followed by a deep regret. On the other hand, if we don't
    become EU members, Greek Cypriots and Greeks will realize how much
    their excessive demands cost them. Turkey can then prove that its
    democratic regime is strong enough to weather anything until the
    negotiations are restarted with a new set of rules.

    --Boundary_(ID_H9SohcNVq280C2AKAyvsDg)--
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