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ANKARA: Turkey Is Changing Its Shell

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  • ANKARA: Turkey Is Changing Its Shell

    TURKEY IS CHANGING ITS SHELL

    Hurriyet Daily News
    Nov 5 2009
    Turkey

    Extremely interesting developments are taking place in the relationship
    between Turkey and the European Union. In fact not only in its
    relationship with the EU but also Turkey's relation to external
    relations in general started to experience a change.

    I describe it as "Turkey splitting from the West and sliding toward
    the East." But the prime minister says, "No, we are not changing
    direction. We are only doing what we have to do." It does not matter
    what you name it, what's obvious is a change is taking place.

    It would be easier if I give an example to explain what I mean.

    During the Cold War, Turkey's foreign relations were on a one-way road.

    We were on the Western front and we called them allies. Usually
    there wouldn't be any problem in our relationship with our allies in
    general. The opposite front was the communist front. We would treat
    them like an enemy.

    Within this frame we would move in the direction of European countries
    and the U.S. Their politics would lead us. In the region, Israel
    would be described as our ally, and Iraq and Syria our enemy.

    Now the balance has changed.

    Especially during the past two or three years of the AKP administration
    new balances and new values emerged. What's been experienced recently
    created an interesting impression of Turkey starting new experiments
    on external politics.

    Turkey for the first time takes Eastern countries seriously

    - Relations with Syria have advanced to a never-before-seen
    dimension. Both countries have started to act almost in unison. And
    this has naturally changed Ankara's steps and direction.

    - Rapprochement with Iraq and especially with northern Iraq is
    developing into a never-before-seen dimension. Baghdad and Arbil's
    sensitivities are taken much more seriously by Ankara.

    - Advances in the relation with Iran, Pakistan and Afghanistan have
    started to roll faster. Turkey now better understands these countries
    and takes their attitudes much more seriously than before.

    - Relations with Israel, on the contrary, are worsening
    progressively. In relations that used to be carried out with extreme
    caution, boorishness seems to spread. It appears as if they want to
    punish Israel on every occasion.

    - Besides all these changes, one other country progressively
    approached by Ankara is the United States. Especially since the Obama
    administration came to power, relations between Ankara and Washington
    have tightened incredibly.

    - Relations with Russia warm up as well. Turkey started to position
    itself as a passageway for particularly Russia but also all other
    countries rich in energy resources.

    Turkey's relation with EU somehow doesn't get on track

    After looking at all these developments, when we ask ourselves, "So,
    where are relations with the European Union heading?" we are facing
    very interesting scenery.

    Looked upon from the outside it seems Turkey and the EU are trying to
    split their way. The EU's general reluctance still prevails. Brussels
    still gives the cold shoulder and Ankara does not seem enthusiastic
    about rolling up its sleeves to take action.

    Especially French President Sarkozy's general attitude is so negative
    that it does not signal any hope for Ankara. The same is true for
    German Prime Minister Merkel. Both quite often repeat that Turkey
    needs to content itself with a privileged partnership instead of
    full membership.

    We are talking about two countries that are the founding members of the
    European Union. This means that it is impossible to realize a project
    that would be "negated" by these two countries. On one hand they keep
    saying that they are in favor of a continuation of negotiations and
    will decide over a full membership or privileged partnership down the
    road and will not hinder it. On the other hand they do not deny having
    started efforts to fill out the contents of a privileged partnership.

    Sarkozy and Merkel take everybody's enthusiasm

    This attitude takes all the enthusiasm in the Turkish government as
    well as the business world.

    The Turkish private sector hesitates to invest for the sake of meeting
    high cost liabilities required for the adaptation to the EU. No one
    intends to allocate resources to a subject with uncertain outcome
    while anxiety still persists due to an economic and financial crisis.

    It also pressures the government to speed up in the EU process.

    Almost the same is true for the government.

    The administration does not intent to allocate billions of euros as
    a resource while it still has a deficit in its budget and while it
    is uncertain what will happen next.

    When there is lack of power for motivation then somehow the process
    does not speed up either.

    Don't get me wrong. Technical effort still continues but especially
    laws to ensure political criteria cannot pass under these uncertain
    conditions.

    Turkey is in a new trial period

    Let's now answer the question asked in the beginning.

    I think Turkey tries to satisfy the EU with different approaches and
    keep the relationship going rather than fulfilling criteria required
    for the membership process.

    It tries to take steps which satisfy the EU in issues like the Armenian
    and Kurdish Initiative and Iran and Afghanistan issues, and it also
    tries to maintain the global picture with steps like signing Nabucco.

    This is certainly in favor of some EU countries that would like to
    slow down the process.

    We need to pay attention to the matter that Turkey does not slip into
    a trial period.

    Turkey tries to find out whether the world would or would not spin
    without the EU and whether or not to create a new world. If it turns
    out to be a success then Turkey might continue its path by tightening
    its relation with the U.S. and get closer to countries in its own
    region.

    But if this happens then Ankara might wish for the privileged
    partnership which it definitely denies today.

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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