FOLLOWING THE EUROPEAN UNION

So you're not in favour either?

Viewpoint
Yusuf Kanli


The moment of truth

It will be a moment of truth because, for at least for one evening, we will have a clear set of paragraphs defining the role that, in European eyes, befits Turkey. Do they consider Turkey a potential member of the European family, one who will join after undergoing the tough and drawn-out process of going through, adopting and harmonizing with the entirety of the 31 chapters of the negotiations process, or will they erect new barriers before Turkey and force it to get off European train?

Forty-one years after the signing of the Sept. 12, 1963 Ankara Agreement between Turkey and the then European Economic Community -- the forerunner of the present European Union -- Ankara and the 25-nation bloc will tonight confront the moment of truth.
European leaders are expected to come up with a decision over a dinner hosted by the EU's Dutch term presidency as to when to open accession talks with Turkey as well as a general outline for the modality of the new process to be opened between Ankara and the union. Irrespective of whether it is "positive" or "negative," according to the Turks, the EU Council's decision on Turkey will set a new landmark in the more than 40-year-long journey of this country towards fulfilling its aspiration of membership in the EU.

It will be a moment of truth because, for at least for one evening, we will have a clear set of paragraphs defining the role that, in European eyes, befits Turkey. Do they consider Turkey a potential member of the European family, one who will join after undergoing the tough and drawn-out process of going through, adopting and harmonizing with the entirety of the 31 chapters of the negotiations process, or will they erect new barriers before Turkey and force it to get off European train?
Similarly, will the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government approach the EU Council's decision on Turkey with an awareness of the difficulties each and every leader in Europe faces because of their position regarding Turkey's potential membership and extend them some understanding, thus enabling them to play a little bit to their domestic audiences with the insertion of some clauses that in effect won't mean anything in reality but which will sound good to Turkey-skeptics?
Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Abdullah Gül traveled to Brussels separately on Wednesday determined to reject any "discriminatory treatment" and prepared to say, "Well, friends, thank you, but we can't accept this offer," if the previously demonstrated "cornering Turkey like a cat" approach of some European leaders is reflected in the outcome of the EU summit.

Could there be reconciliation in a gray area in which Turkey can comfortably say that no new conditions have been imposed on its accession process and that Ankara is being treated in the same fashion as all previous candidates, an area that at the same time will allow European leaders to face their domestic audiences and say their sensitivities on Turkey's accession have been reflected in the relevant paragraphs of the summit statement?

We are confident that the EU is precious to Turkey and that this country is precious to the EU from various perspectives and for many reasons apart from emotion and rhetoric. We want to believe that reason will prevail at the dinner of EU leaders and candidate countries, that the conditions forced on Turkey will all be brushed aside, that Turkey -- in conformity with the established "no blackmail" policy of the AKP government -- will stop threatening a possible suspension of its EU bid and that eventually a compromise on the wording of the Turkish paragraphs of the summit declaration will become possible.
The racial and discriminatory remarks of the European far right and of the Christian Democrats have already created tension between the EU and Turkey and have sparked serious doubts in this country regarding the sincerity of Europe towards Turkish membership prospects. If the EU summit statement fails to provide a clear-cut membership perspective for Ankara, the end result might be catastrophic for both the EU and Turkey, although the future of the EU is not dependent on Turkey nor is Turkey's future dependent on the EU.

Unlike the 1997 and 1999 "No, thank you" position of Turkey toward EU offers, this time it will take a long period for both the EU and Turkey to put their relations back on track should Europe force Turkey to abandon the process.
Tonight will be the moment of truth.

The AKP government faced the tasks demanded by the EU with courage and acted on them diligently, fulfilling the Copenhagen political criteria -- or at least conforming with the criteria to a satisfactory level. Many European leaders never dreamed of a Turkey conforming with those criteria, and people like former German Chancellor Helmut Kohl -- who had declared at a European Democratic Union (a gathering of Christian Democrat parties) years ago that Turkey had no place in Europe because it was a Muslim country -- still have difficulty digesting the fact that the EU Commission indeed documented Turkey's compliance with the criteria in its Oct. 6 report. Provided this country maintains its political and economic stability, we are confident that it will take it a much shorter a period than anyone ever envisioned to complete the accession period and start knocking on the door of Europe for full accession. This country and its people, at least for now, are this determined to join the EU.

The 'association agreement', which will now be submitted to the Council and will later be ratified by the member states' parliaments, completes the EU's network of association agreements with all partners identified in the Barcelona process. Similar agreements have already been signed with Israel, the Palestinian Authority, Algeria, Egypt, Jordan, Lebanon, Morocco, Turkey and Tunisia. The Syrian agreement had been held up over a clause on weapons of mass destruction (WMD).

Listening to NPR on the way to work this morning-- It looks like the EU has sent their first volley over the US bow.

They have signed a trade agreement with Syria (?signed? or agreed?). This in light of the sharpest rhetoric from the US about fire coming at US troops from Syrian soil.

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