BY MURAT YETKIN
RADIKAL- Let’s be realistic. Turkish-European Union relations are a complete dilemma, one which can be described as a ‘with or without you’ impasse.
Although we sometimes get annoyed with the statement of EU Enlargement Commissioner Guenter Verheugen, he’s right in his analyses. Verheugen always stresses that while the EU can control the risks entailed by Turkey’s entry, it can’t do the same with developments in case of Turkey’s rejection. Therefore, the EU leaders can sharply scold us for our problems and shortcomings concerning democracy and human rights, or they can treat us prejudicially while stepping on our feelings or attacking our national honor, but this is why they cannot say ‘no’ to us. A Europe without Turkey will be a less secure continent. If Turkey is shut out from Europe, fear and concern for the future won’t stop haunting the old continent. In such circumstances, Europe will have to accept being a party in the so-called ‘clash of civilizations.’
European leftists know and understand this very well; therefore there is no contradiction in Claudia Roth and Daniel Cohn-Bendit’s support for our membership bid, notwithstanding how our politicians once poured scorn on them because they decried our human rights violations. These two know very well that a developed Turkey, one respectful of human rights and the rule of law, would be a great asset for Europe.
Though the European Commission’s report gives us a ‘yes … but,’ it’s still a ‘yes.’ Turkey shouldn’t let itself be upset by the EU leaders’ warnings and conditions saying that the negotiations could be suspended and that the process is open-ended, as such statements were included in the report to partially allay the European conservatives’ concerns. Ankara should not fall in this trap, and the first sign that it won’t came in Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s address to the Parliament yesterday saying that his government needed strong cooperation with the opposition parties. Moreover, main opposition Republican People’s Party (CHP) Deputy Sukru Elekdag said, ‘We see it not as a conditional yes, but a yes.’
The government now should work to tackle certain thorny issues which might be raised as hurdles at the EU’s December summit. The Erdogan administration needs backing from both the opposition and non-governmental organizations (NGOs). Therefore, it must prioritize not its own political leanings but rather the country’s national interests. It should also show EU leaders that Ankara has dived straight into its work to make things better.