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  • Turkey's historic path towards EU membership

    Times of Malta, Malta
    Oct 9 2005

    Turkey's historic path towards EU membership

    by Anthony Manduca

    The European Union has finally opened membership talks with Turkey,
    paving the way for this huge Muslim country to eventually join the
    bloc. Last-minute objections by Austria, which wanted Ankara to be
    offered a "privileged partnership" as an alternative to membership,
    should negotiations fail, were overcome. The opening of accession
    talks is a truly historic event and presents the EU with its biggest
    ever challenge - how to integrate such a huge, poor, Muslim country
    with a mixed human rights record into the club.

    Should Turkey successfully conclude its accession negotiations -
    perhaps in about 15 years' time - it will be the Union's most
    populous member with the biggest number of votes in the Council of
    Ministers, so one can understand the preoccupation in certain
    European quarters. However, Turkey has been waiting 42 years to join
    the EU, it has been a faithful friend and ally of the West, as well
    as a loyal NATO partner, it played a major role in the Cold War
    containing Communism, and at the December 1999 Helsinki summit it was
    finally accepted as an EU candidate country.

    The last-minute wrangling, therefore, just a few days before Turkey's
    accession negotiations were scheduled to open last Monday, was
    unfortunate and sent the wrong signals to the Turks, namely that
    Europe would always find an excuse to keep them out. This can only
    fuel anti-EU sentiment in Turkey, which is exactly what we do not
    want to happen. Opinion polls in Turkey already show a shift against
    membership, and that is not good news.

    Austria's initial objections were partly tactical - they wanted to
    ensure parallel accession negotiations with Croatia - and this was
    accepted by the Union. However, it is also true that suspicions of
    Turkey run deep in Austria - and the Austrians seem to have long
    memories - they saved Europe from the Turks who were assembled at the
    gates of Vienna in 1683.

    Nevertheless, the world has changed since then and that episode is
    very much part of history. After all, as Prime Minister Lawrence
    Gonzi very correctly pointed out during his meeting with the members
    of the Maltese community in Michigan: "In 1565 Malta and the Knights
    saved Europe from the Ottoman invasion. Yet today we support Turkey's
    bid to join the EU - provided they improve their track record and
    fulfil all entry requirements."

    There are certainly valid arguments on both sides of the debate about
    whether the EU should accept Turkey as a member, but I have always
    maintained, and continue to maintain, that the advantages - both for
    the EU and for Turkey - certainly outweigh the disadvantages. Yes,
    there is concern that the economic cost of Turkish membership will be
    very high, that the overwhelmingly Muslim population could change the
    character of the EU, that Turkey still has a lot to do to improve its
    human rights record and treatment of minorities and that the Cyprus
    problem has remained unresolved.

    However, just think of the many advantages. EU membership for Turkey
    would mean a consolidation of a secular, Muslim democracy, it would
    be a catalyst for economic and political reform in the country,
    Turkey would become a natural bridge between Europe and Muslim
    countries and it would act as a model for the Muslim world.
    Furthermore, Turkey has a very fast growing economy, a young
    workforce, a huge army and more than half of its trade is already
    with the EU. The strategic role played by Turkey in both Central Asia
    and the Middle East would be a huge benefit in the EU.

    So I have no doubt at all that in the long run Turkish EU membership
    will be very beneficial to both sides - there are clearly both
    political and economic advantages.

    Of course, the accession talks will not be easy for Turkey, which has
    to give solid proof of its commitment to European values, both
    political and economic. One must acknowledge that Turkey has already
    made tremendous progress in political and economic reform but this
    trend must continue, as the EU will definitely be standing firm
    during the negotiations. Human rights and equal rights for minorities
    still need to be improved as does full freedom for other religions.
    The scenes of police beating women demonstrators a few months ago,
    for example, certainly did Turkey's image no good. In addition, it is
    important that certain social and economic reforms, which are on the
    statute books, are properly enforced.

    A solution will also have to be found over Cyprus - it is
    inconceivable for Turkey to join the bloc without recognising one of
    its members. It is true that a UN-sponsored plan for Cyprus was
    approved in a referendum by the Turkish Cypriots but rejected by the
    Greek Cypriots, but eventually a way out will have to be negotiated.

    It is also essential that Turkey comes to terms with its past - it
    must do some serious soul-searching about the Armenian question and
    acknowledge its past role in this terrible episode in history. There
    is nothing wrong in admitting such a role - it is in fact a sign of
    democratic maturity and of being at ease with one's self. And the
    Kurdish question must continue to be tackled - a Turkey in the EU has
    to give full rights to and respect for this minority, there can be
    absolutely no argument about this.

    European governments now have a very important role to play in
    convincing their electorates that Turkey's membership of the bloc is
    in the EU's interest. They must convince voters - especially those in
    countries such as Austria, Germany France and The Netherlands, that
    this will bring increased security and prosperity for everyone.

    Unfortunately, the 'EU15' failed to adequately convince many of their
    voters that the previous enlargement was a success - although it
    clearly has been - and this was partly responsible for the French and
    Dutch rejection of the EU Constitution. A huge public relations
    campaign is needed to win the hearts and minds of Europeans over
    Turkey's EU bid.

    Turkey's membership will be positive for Europe as a whole - and it
    is important that both sides enter the accession negotiations with an
    open positive mind and with a view that if handled correctly this is
    a win-win situation.
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