No way to treat a friend

By Chris Patten - 19 Oct 07

Originally published in The Guardian newspaper, Wednesday, 17 October 2007.

For the third year in a row, Turkey's annual hurdles on the winding path of convergence with the EU - a progress report early next month and the European Council in December - are likely to be bruising. Doubters will seize on gridlock over Cyprus and a pause in legislative reform to allege that Turkey is not changing and should be pushed back outside the EU's gates. They will point to Ankara's response to US efforts to declare the 1915-23 killing of Armenians a genocide, and the political push for an incursion into northern Iraq to deal with cross-border terrorist attacks, as evidence that Turkey is not ready to join the club. So it is worth stepping back and considering why Europe needs Turkey.

Turkey was critical to Europe in the cold war. For 40 years, it stood lonely guard on the south-eastern third of Nato's frontline, paying the price in military-heavy government and delayed development. There was little carping about its Muslim identity then, and a cultural variety that included Turkey was considered a European strength. After communism's collapse, Turkey kept contributing to Europe's security, giving troops and legitimacy to EU-backed missions in Afghanistan, Lebanon, the Balkans, and even Congo. If EU-Turkish relations had not stumbled (for which all sides are responsible), it would likely be supporting a force for Darfur.

Click here to read the full article.

Comments for this entry are closed.

Now that Turkey is about to invade Kurdi Iraq, should the EU be more pro-active in security terms?

The Turkish government is trying to presents its reasons for the invasion as ones similar to U.S. preventive attack on Iraq. But this time, this time there is definitely no WMD in Kurdi Iraq!

By the Turkish government’s logic, and state could attack another state for preventive reasons. This is a huge destabilizing blow at the current international security system.

Andy Ignatov,
www.activist.org.ua

Andriy Ignatov | USA | 21 Oct 07, 21 Oct 07 EST | www

One things is being an ally. Another thing is being a member. Turkey is a solid ally, but would it be a good member?
It doesn’t share many of EU’s basic values, it has opposing views on some historical and social issues (Armenian question, recognized as genocide by the EU, taboo in Turkey) that forecast future problems on key foreign policy problems.
The ecfr advocates stronger EU’s unity… which can’t be reached if Turkey is admitted due to its many important differences. First create a real bond between EU countries. Then you will have a standard Turkey will have to ADAPT to to be allowed in.
The feeling is that ecfr is really too rigid on this point that is also the exact contrary of everything else it proposes. Do you want EU unity? Or do you want Turkey as a member? Because speaking is easy, but in practical terms, at the moment, the two things exclude each other.

Lorenzo Nannetti | Italy | 02 Nov 07, 02 Nov 07 EST

Commenting is not available in this channel entry.