BY DERYA SAZAK
MILLIYET- As expected, the European Union Commission’s report on Turkey released yesterday came out in favor of giving Turkey a date for accession talks. Thus, the commission gave a green light for accession talks in the leadup to the EU summit on Dec. 17. While European Commission President Romano Prodi called the decision a ‘qualified yes,’ he said that the accession talks could be suspended if Turkey strays from the principles of democracy, human rights or the rule of law. According to Prodi, there are still questionable areas despite the recent reforms, and this can auger problems on the country’s path to membership. After the start of accession talks, Turkey’s ticket to EU membership will depend on it not deviating from democratic values. However, contrary to recent discussions, this won’t be an open-ended process.
Explaining yesterday’s decision, EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said that this would be a ‘process for membership.’ It was important that Prodi’s analysis stressed that Turkey’s membership would actually be in the EU’s own interest. Prodi mentioned a target date of 2013, whereas Verheugen talked about a negotiation process of 12-13 years. Clearly one has to look at what is proposed in the commission report. Prodi and Verheugen laid out the view of the EU public and Turkey that EU membership will be ‘a long road,’ and their proposals to start the accession talks.
However, a mood among EU representatives along the lines of, ‘Great, we accept Turkey’s membership after 40 years,’ was conspicuously absent. The report had the air of being forced to try to act fairly after five years of efforts. It’s obvious that there is a resistance to Turkey’s membership within the commission and on the member state governments’ level. With the advisory report, the EU commission both relieved themselves of the pressure and handed off the ball to the leaders, who are set to meet in December, for a final decision.
Countries which want to wait until after the referendum for the European Constitution will try to have the decision in December postponed till after 2005. Ankara, on the other hand, will have to utilize the next two months to push for a decision to start accession talks next year. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s address to the EU Council yesterday was impressive. Both Turkey and the EU have passed the point of no return.