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A lot of people asks this question over and over again; if Turkey really wants to join the EU, or not?
Turkish Republic's identity is widely shaped by the trauma inflicted by the loss of empire. The republic's official answer to this trauma was to almost entirely ignore the past and start anew targeting "to reach the levels of industrialized nations". The huge gap between the country's conditions and this target combined with the effects of the trauma still existed subtly among the population had created a minority complex. The "hüzün" or sadness described in Orhan Pamuk's novel “Istanbul” was indeed very evident even at my schooldays. The state was very introvert when it came to deal with international issues so were the people.
But as the country kept on its journey, industrilization and democratization started to gain a certain pace despite all of its problems. I consider myself very lucky to witness how a nation's mentality changed as most of it seemed to happen during my short life so far. First we came to realize the historical importance of the city we were living in; Istanbul. Then we realized the cultural depth in our history. Then we started to realize how history works and what historical influence in our region meant. And these sentiments started to put light on our actions; a new national self confidence started to grow. (Some well most of the times to exaggerated levels; but it will settle with time I believe).
From my personal point of view on EU, which I believe is shared among most of my colleagues of the same generation is this; we know we have to advance a great deal to reach our final target. So we know we have to work very hard and we see the EU ascension period as the anchor for our struggles.
However some of the thoughts that are voiced quite loudly by politicians like Sarkozy and Merkel annoy us not to mention the sometimes unacceptable level of impudent behaviour we have to deal with at customs controls and EU consulates. This creates a reactionary response which could be vocalized as;" if EU is not willing to live together, we create a new world around us in adaptation to the new conjuncture - something we were capable to do in the last millennium."
On the contrary many people outside Turkey do not know Turkey or its people at all. Or rather, what they see are the immigrants who find it difficult to participate and/or integrate and therefore fall back on conservative attitudes. Or else, they see only the all inclusive holiday resorts which do not represent the true Turkey. Then again many citizens of contemporary Turkey do not know the countries of the EU at all and often have an attitude like Turkey is the greatest country in the world and are not able or willing to admit (to non Turkish people) that not everything is well. Both such approaches are not very constructive. EU citizens should recognize that Turkey is a country in development with millions of modern and intelligent people and many a Turkish citizen, and in particular politican, should be able to admit that not everything is perfect and that mistakes have been made. Being able to apologize is a true way of showing adulthood. So let us keep up the good work and talk with each other. In the end all will be well.
By the same token I would like to add a few observations on my experiences having lived in a country which is now being dominated by the EU. Over the past several years as I have got to know a number of Turks – and have sincere communication with each of them – and inevitably this question on Europe and the EU has always come up. Since day one my advice has always been “be careful”. Or of you like, caveat emptor to use a Latin term. And to be a little more constructive as to why I sound this cautionary note, I suggest to my friends and peers that perhaps Turkey would rather see itself benefitting from Europe in much the same way that both Norway and Switzerland do – as EEC / European Area countries who have the benefit of free trade but without the restrictions of being told by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels what to do and how to do it. Having spent the past 13 years living abroad and communicating with people living at a EU nation, I can recount through observation a number of the changes for the worse Europeans have experienced at the hands of the EU’s unelected officials in Brussels. On a more specific subject of UK (and I use this example as I am familiar with the individuals and the dynamics at play there), I ask you what is the British Conservative Party’s political position on Turkey’s EU membership? Their position is: “Yes please, we want Turkey to enter the EU” (source: The Rt Hon David Cameron, MP, Leader of the British Conservative Party in a recent speech during the EU election campaign). For his public support for these three main issues - Turkey’s ascension, eliminating corruption, and allowing member countries to make their own decision based on their own national best interest – David Cameron was publicly castigated by the “old Europe” axis counties’ leadership (i.e. France and Germany), with their threats that they will” do him over” if he wins government in Britain! And ladies and gentlemen this is really the crux of my point on the Turkey joining the EU issue; do Turks – a proud and successful nation – really want to be a member of this “club”?
In a nutshell; joining EU may improve our processes and country overall. Moreoever we think our values (when we manage to work them properly) are very similar to Europe's. But Europe's response does not only discourage but also estranges us from Europe's ideals. Our growing confidence coming from history and economy makes us believe we can achieve in our search for alternative alliances. But I don't personally believe that such a world would be more pleasant; neither for Turkey nor for EU. Today as a number of you would agree, Turkey is a modern and progressive country; a number of European countries could learn a lot from Turkey, and vice versa. The decision is not easy and it should not be taken lightly, but Turkey has the benefit of being able to make an informed decision on whether to join or not, and what role the country can play in influencing the future direction of regional politics.So we need to keep walking. And we need to do that with nerves of steel.
Cheers!
Turkish Republic's identity is widely shaped by the trauma inflicted by the loss of empire. The republic's official answer to this trauma was to almost entirely ignore the past and start anew targeting "to reach the levels of industrialized nations". The huge gap between the country's conditions and this target combined with the effects of the trauma still existed subtly among the population had created a minority complex. The "hüzün" or sadness described in Orhan Pamuk's novel “Istanbul” was indeed very evident even at my schooldays. The state was very introvert when it came to deal with international issues so were the people.
But as the country kept on its journey, industrilization and democratization started to gain a certain pace despite all of its problems. I consider myself very lucky to witness how a nation's mentality changed as most of it seemed to happen during my short life so far. First we came to realize the historical importance of the city we were living in; Istanbul. Then we realized the cultural depth in our history. Then we started to realize how history works and what historical influence in our region meant. And these sentiments started to put light on our actions; a new national self confidence started to grow. (Some well most of the times to exaggerated levels; but it will settle with time I believe).
From my personal point of view on EU, which I believe is shared among most of my colleagues of the same generation is this; we know we have to advance a great deal to reach our final target. So we know we have to work very hard and we see the EU ascension period as the anchor for our struggles.
However some of the thoughts that are voiced quite loudly by politicians like Sarkozy and Merkel annoy us not to mention the sometimes unacceptable level of impudent behaviour we have to deal with at customs controls and EU consulates. This creates a reactionary response which could be vocalized as;" if EU is not willing to live together, we create a new world around us in adaptation to the new conjuncture - something we were capable to do in the last millennium."
On the contrary many people outside Turkey do not know Turkey or its people at all. Or rather, what they see are the immigrants who find it difficult to participate and/or integrate and therefore fall back on conservative attitudes. Or else, they see only the all inclusive holiday resorts which do not represent the true Turkey. Then again many citizens of contemporary Turkey do not know the countries of the EU at all and often have an attitude like Turkey is the greatest country in the world and are not able or willing to admit (to non Turkish people) that not everything is well. Both such approaches are not very constructive. EU citizens should recognize that Turkey is a country in development with millions of modern and intelligent people and many a Turkish citizen, and in particular politican, should be able to admit that not everything is perfect and that mistakes have been made. Being able to apologize is a true way of showing adulthood. So let us keep up the good work and talk with each other. In the end all will be well.
By the same token I would like to add a few observations on my experiences having lived in a country which is now being dominated by the EU. Over the past several years as I have got to know a number of Turks – and have sincere communication with each of them – and inevitably this question on Europe and the EU has always come up. Since day one my advice has always been “be careful”. Or of you like, caveat emptor to use a Latin term. And to be a little more constructive as to why I sound this cautionary note, I suggest to my friends and peers that perhaps Turkey would rather see itself benefitting from Europe in much the same way that both Norway and Switzerland do – as EEC / European Area countries who have the benefit of free trade but without the restrictions of being told by unelected bureaucrats in Brussels what to do and how to do it. Having spent the past 13 years living abroad and communicating with people living at a EU nation, I can recount through observation a number of the changes for the worse Europeans have experienced at the hands of the EU’s unelected officials in Brussels. On a more specific subject of UK (and I use this example as I am familiar with the individuals and the dynamics at play there), I ask you what is the British Conservative Party’s political position on Turkey’s EU membership? Their position is: “Yes please, we want Turkey to enter the EU” (source: The Rt Hon David Cameron, MP, Leader of the British Conservative Party in a recent speech during the EU election campaign). For his public support for these three main issues - Turkey’s ascension, eliminating corruption, and allowing member countries to make their own decision based on their own national best interest – David Cameron was publicly castigated by the “old Europe” axis counties’ leadership (i.e. France and Germany), with their threats that they will” do him over” if he wins government in Britain! And ladies and gentlemen this is really the crux of my point on the Turkey joining the EU issue; do Turks – a proud and successful nation – really want to be a member of this “club”?
In a nutshell; joining EU may improve our processes and country overall. Moreoever we think our values (when we manage to work them properly) are very similar to Europe's. But Europe's response does not only discourage but also estranges us from Europe's ideals. Our growing confidence coming from history and economy makes us believe we can achieve in our search for alternative alliances. But I don't personally believe that such a world would be more pleasant; neither for Turkey nor for EU. Today as a number of you would agree, Turkey is a modern and progressive country; a number of European countries could learn a lot from Turkey, and vice versa. The decision is not easy and it should not be taken lightly, but Turkey has the benefit of being able to make an informed decision on whether to join or not, and what role the country can play in influencing the future direction of regional politics.So we need to keep walking. And we need to do that with nerves of steel.
Cheers!
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Story from BBC NEWS:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/go/pr/fr/-/2/hi/europe/8241543.stm
Published: 2009/09/07 10:19:10 GMT
EU 'breaking promise' to Turkey
The European Union is in danger of breaking its promise that Turkey will eventually be granted membership, an influential group has warned.
The Independent Commission on Turkey accuses some European leaders of trying to derail Turkey's membership bid.
Behind the carefully balanced language of diplomacy is a hard hitting report, a BBC correspondent says.
It points the finger most firmly at France, whose President Nicolas Sarkozy is strongly opposed to Turkish entry.
"France has publicly declared that it will not allow five key areas of the negotiations to go forward, specifically because the current French leadership opposes Turkish accession," the report says.
Cyprus impasse
The Independent Commission on Turkey is made up of senior European politicians and academics, and is led by the former Finnish President and Nobel Laureate Martti Ahtisaari.
Its report says negative statements from some leaders, and efforts to substitute full membership for some other kind of privileged partnership or special relationship, are putting the EU's credibility at stake.
"In 1999... we said that Turkey is a candidate state destined to join the union on the basis of the same criteria as apply to other candidate states. So it's the credibility of the EU [at stake]," Mr Ahtisaari said.
France, Germany and Austria are among the countries that object to Turkey having full membership of the EU, proposing instead a privileged partnership.
The report says a vicious circle has developed.
"Fierce opposition from some European politicians combined with growing public resistance to further EU enlargement in turn has deepened resentment in Turkey and slowed the necessary reforms," the report says.
It acknowledges that some serious obstacles remain to Turkish membership - not least, the impasse over the divided island of Cyprus.
Solving that frozen conflict would boost Turkey's membership bid - but the commission warns that talks are running short of time.
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