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The Vancouver Sun (British Columbia)
December 22, 2004 Wednesday
Final Edition
Is Turkey European enough to join the European Union?: Many Europeans
are ambivalent about Turkey joining the EU -- others are downright
hostile
by Harry Sterling, Special to the Sun
Is Turkey really part of Europe? Ever since Kemal Ataturk founded
modern-day Turkey in 1923, Turkish governments have insisted Turkey
is a European nation. This, notwithstanding that Turkey now only
maintains a small territorial toehold on the European continent,
the vast majority of its land-mass being in Asia proper.
A critically important objective in Turkey's claim to be a European
state has been its longstanding application to join the European Union.
And now, in an historically important breakthrough for Turkey,
leaders of the 25-member European Union have finally invited it to
begin accession negotiations next October 3. However, despite the
EU's December 17 decision, many in Europe remain ambivalent about
Turkey joining, while some are adamantly opposed.
In the past, those opposed to Turkey's membership were spared
from openly opposing it due to Turkey's failure to meet various
EU political and other standards, particularly its commitment to
democratic principles, respect for fundamental human rights and
treatment of minorities.
Opponents' second line of defence was Greece. Given Greece's
never-ending territorial disputes with Turkey -- they almost went to
war over a tiny islet only occupied by goats -- other EU states could
count on Athens to predictably put up obstacles to Turkish membership,
saving them from explicitly voicing their own opposition.
However, following massive earthquakes in Turkey and Greece in 1999,
resulting in the two countries unexpectedly coming to the aid of each
other, the traditionally strained bilateral relations between them
improved significantly, resulting in Athens becoming a supporter
of Turkish accession as a vehicle for settling their differences
peacefully.
Greece's turn-around left other EU states with no alternative but to
come out of the closet to voice their own concerns regarding Turkey
joining the EU.
Although skeptical EU leaders were persuaded at their December 16-17
summit in Brussels to reach a consensus on approving negotiations
with Turkey, some clearly hope Turkey's actual membership will
never materialize due to Ankara's failure to meet various EU trade,
economic and human rights criteria for new members during prolonged
negotiations which may last 10 to 15 years.
Governments favouring Turkish membership -- such as Britain, Germany
and Italy -- are convinced it will ultimately be beneficial to all
EU states. Turkey's well-trained, half-million-strong military is
seen as providing the EU with the independent military clout it wants
to develop.
Its population of over 70 million supposedly would offer EU states
expanded trade and economic opportunities. Supporters also point out
that Turkey, a regional power in the Eastern Mediterranean, would
be an extremely useful bridge between the European Union and Middle
East nations.
(The Blair government is keen to have Turkey join as a counterweight
to the efforts of France and Germany to dominate EU affairs.)
However, some, like former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing,
are totally against Turkish membership. He claims Turkey would
undermine the shared values of the EU which binds European states
together.
A recent poll reported three-quarters of French agree with him. And
despite French president Jacques Chirac's somewhat qualified support
for Turkish membership, several in his own ruling UMP party oppose
Turkey entering the Community.
The former leader of the Dutch Liberal Party, Frits Bolkestein,
an EU commissioner, warned of the "Islamization" of Europe should
Turkey be admitted.
Many fear Turkey's entry would result in a wave of Turkish workers
flooding into EU states, undercutting local workers by their
willingness to work for much lower wages. Others complain Turkish
membership would siphon away EU subsidies and other assistance
currently devoted to the agricultural sectors in EU countries,
including those in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Still others worry Turkey's predominantly Muslim population would
create additional religious and ethnic tensions and divisions within
European countries where anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim sentiments have
become major issues, spawning anti-immigrant and ultra-nationalist
parties in several countries.
The recent brutal murder of controversial Dutch film-maker Theo van
Gogh, allegedly by a Muslim extremist, and the ensuing attacks against
both mosques and churches it unleashed throughout the Netherlands,
is cited as an example of the dangers now presented by the clash of
different ethnic and religious cultures in Europe.
Although the EU commission has complimented the current government
of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara for its efforts to
improve his country's commitment to democratic principles and respect
for fundamental human rights, critics maintain much more needs to
be done.
They say that while the Erdogan government has passed new laws and
regulations prohibiting torture of prisoners and constitutional changes
guaranteeing freedom of speech for the media and political dissidents,
actual implementation remains problematic.
Critics say Turkish courts continue to be lenient in cases involving
violence against women, including the so-called "honour killings" of
females by their families for allegedly violating social customs. The
controversial move by the Turkish parliament to make adultery
punishable by imprisonment, though eventually dropped under pressure
from the EU, only reinforced the views of those convinced Turkish
membership would be incompatible with the values of the European Union.
Turkey's failure to grant full language and other rights to its
large Kurdish population has also been criticized as unacceptable to
EU states.
(In a move angering Turkey, France's foreign minister called upon
the Turkish government to acknowledge the mass killing of Armenians
in 1915 as a "tragedy" before negotiations with the EU begin.)
Turkish human rights advocates say that the prospect of EU membership
has been crucially important in promoting political reforms in
Turkey and the forthcoming negotiations would facilitate further
democratization and respect for human rights in Turkey.
However, Turkey will also inevitably have to deal with the thorny
issues of territorial disputes with Greece and diplomatic recognition
of the Greek-Cypriot government in Cyprus. EU leaders informed Ankara
there's no way Turkey could join the EU without recognizing Cyprus.
The latter warned it could veto Turkey's accession unless it recognizes
it. (Turkey has occupied northern Cyprus since a 1974 coup by Greek
Cypriots attempting to have Cyprus annexed to Greece.)
In a compromise move, Turkey has agreed to sign a customs agreement
with the EU's newest ten members (which includes Cyprus) before
October's negotiations start, thus implicitly giving the Cypriot
government de facto recognition.
Although this formula may partially resolve the Cyprus issue, Turkey
must still contend with years of tough negotiations before it may
realize its goal of joining the European Union.
It also has to contend with the fact that several countries, including
France and Austria, say they will hold referendums on Turkey's
membership. Any national referendums rejecting Turkey joining could
theoretically provide governments with the justification for vetoing
Turkey's eventual accession.
And if racial and religious tensions within European societies do not
improve in coming years it could ultimately bring to an end any hope
Turkey could have of joining the European Union.
Harry Sterling, a former diplomat who served in Europe and Turkey,
is an Ottawa-based commentator.
December 22, 2004 Wednesday
Final Edition
Is Turkey European enough to join the European Union?: Many Europeans
are ambivalent about Turkey joining the EU -- others are downright
hostile
by Harry Sterling, Special to the Sun
Is Turkey really part of Europe? Ever since Kemal Ataturk founded
modern-day Turkey in 1923, Turkish governments have insisted Turkey
is a European nation. This, notwithstanding that Turkey now only
maintains a small territorial toehold on the European continent,
the vast majority of its land-mass being in Asia proper.
A critically important objective in Turkey's claim to be a European
state has been its longstanding application to join the European Union.
And now, in an historically important breakthrough for Turkey,
leaders of the 25-member European Union have finally invited it to
begin accession negotiations next October 3. However, despite the
EU's December 17 decision, many in Europe remain ambivalent about
Turkey joining, while some are adamantly opposed.
In the past, those opposed to Turkey's membership were spared
from openly opposing it due to Turkey's failure to meet various
EU political and other standards, particularly its commitment to
democratic principles, respect for fundamental human rights and
treatment of minorities.
Opponents' second line of defence was Greece. Given Greece's
never-ending territorial disputes with Turkey -- they almost went to
war over a tiny islet only occupied by goats -- other EU states could
count on Athens to predictably put up obstacles to Turkish membership,
saving them from explicitly voicing their own opposition.
However, following massive earthquakes in Turkey and Greece in 1999,
resulting in the two countries unexpectedly coming to the aid of each
other, the traditionally strained bilateral relations between them
improved significantly, resulting in Athens becoming a supporter
of Turkish accession as a vehicle for settling their differences
peacefully.
Greece's turn-around left other EU states with no alternative but to
come out of the closet to voice their own concerns regarding Turkey
joining the EU.
Although skeptical EU leaders were persuaded at their December 16-17
summit in Brussels to reach a consensus on approving negotiations
with Turkey, some clearly hope Turkey's actual membership will
never materialize due to Ankara's failure to meet various EU trade,
economic and human rights criteria for new members during prolonged
negotiations which may last 10 to 15 years.
Governments favouring Turkish membership -- such as Britain, Germany
and Italy -- are convinced it will ultimately be beneficial to all
EU states. Turkey's well-trained, half-million-strong military is
seen as providing the EU with the independent military clout it wants
to develop.
Its population of over 70 million supposedly would offer EU states
expanded trade and economic opportunities. Supporters also point out
that Turkey, a regional power in the Eastern Mediterranean, would
be an extremely useful bridge between the European Union and Middle
East nations.
(The Blair government is keen to have Turkey join as a counterweight
to the efforts of France and Germany to dominate EU affairs.)
However, some, like former French president Valery Giscard d'Estaing,
are totally against Turkish membership. He claims Turkey would
undermine the shared values of the EU which binds European states
together.
A recent poll reported three-quarters of French agree with him. And
despite French president Jacques Chirac's somewhat qualified support
for Turkish membership, several in his own ruling UMP party oppose
Turkey entering the Community.
The former leader of the Dutch Liberal Party, Frits Bolkestein,
an EU commissioner, warned of the "Islamization" of Europe should
Turkey be admitted.
Many fear Turkey's entry would result in a wave of Turkish workers
flooding into EU states, undercutting local workers by their
willingness to work for much lower wages. Others complain Turkish
membership would siphon away EU subsidies and other assistance
currently devoted to the agricultural sectors in EU countries,
including those in France, Spain, Portugal and Italy.
Still others worry Turkey's predominantly Muslim population would
create additional religious and ethnic tensions and divisions within
European countries where anti-immigrant, anti-Muslim sentiments have
become major issues, spawning anti-immigrant and ultra-nationalist
parties in several countries.
The recent brutal murder of controversial Dutch film-maker Theo van
Gogh, allegedly by a Muslim extremist, and the ensuing attacks against
both mosques and churches it unleashed throughout the Netherlands,
is cited as an example of the dangers now presented by the clash of
different ethnic and religious cultures in Europe.
Although the EU commission has complimented the current government
of Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara for its efforts to
improve his country's commitment to democratic principles and respect
for fundamental human rights, critics maintain much more needs to
be done.
They say that while the Erdogan government has passed new laws and
regulations prohibiting torture of prisoners and constitutional changes
guaranteeing freedom of speech for the media and political dissidents,
actual implementation remains problematic.
Critics say Turkish courts continue to be lenient in cases involving
violence against women, including the so-called "honour killings" of
females by their families for allegedly violating social customs. The
controversial move by the Turkish parliament to make adultery
punishable by imprisonment, though eventually dropped under pressure
from the EU, only reinforced the views of those convinced Turkish
membership would be incompatible with the values of the European Union.
Turkey's failure to grant full language and other rights to its
large Kurdish population has also been criticized as unacceptable to
EU states.
(In a move angering Turkey, France's foreign minister called upon
the Turkish government to acknowledge the mass killing of Armenians
in 1915 as a "tragedy" before negotiations with the EU begin.)
Turkish human rights advocates say that the prospect of EU membership
has been crucially important in promoting political reforms in
Turkey and the forthcoming negotiations would facilitate further
democratization and respect for human rights in Turkey.
However, Turkey will also inevitably have to deal with the thorny
issues of territorial disputes with Greece and diplomatic recognition
of the Greek-Cypriot government in Cyprus. EU leaders informed Ankara
there's no way Turkey could join the EU without recognizing Cyprus.
The latter warned it could veto Turkey's accession unless it recognizes
it. (Turkey has occupied northern Cyprus since a 1974 coup by Greek
Cypriots attempting to have Cyprus annexed to Greece.)
In a compromise move, Turkey has agreed to sign a customs agreement
with the EU's newest ten members (which includes Cyprus) before
October's negotiations start, thus implicitly giving the Cypriot
government de facto recognition.
Although this formula may partially resolve the Cyprus issue, Turkey
must still contend with years of tough negotiations before it may
realize its goal of joining the European Union.
It also has to contend with the fact that several countries, including
France and Austria, say they will hold referendums on Turkey's
membership. Any national referendums rejecting Turkey joining could
theoretically provide governments with the justification for vetoing
Turkey's eventual accession.
And if racial and religious tensions within European societies do not
improve in coming years it could ultimately bring to an end any hope
Turkey could have of joining the European Union.
Harry Sterling, a former diplomat who served in Europe and Turkey,
is an Ottawa-based commentator.