Is France convinced?

BY CUNEYT ULSEVER
HURRIYET- Now it seems certain that French President Jacques Chirac won’t object to Ankara getting a date for European Union membership talks. However, I don’t think that they will outright accept it at the Dec. 17 EU summit. Probably the EU will say, ‘Turkey should be given a date, but…’ So, there will be more bargaining. Some Europeans don’t want Turkey to become an EU member. The reasons for this are cultural differences, Turkey’s population, etc. However, there’s also something else. I think a team which France is the ringleader of wants to use its bargaining power. Europe is disturbed by the US on many issues, but American power is a reality. For example, its defense budget this year is higher than all EU defense expenditures ever. The EU countries can’t swallow the US or spit it out. However, France does the most to hold its head high towards the US. It bargains on almost every issue with Washington.
France also considers Turkey’s EU membership as a Trojan horse to be used by Washington. It thinks we’ll always act in line with US dictates when we get a large share in the European Parliament due to our population. ‘Turkey should become an EU member after it fulfills all the membership conditions,’ said Chirac. ‘This will benefit both Turkey and the EU.’ It’s unthinkable that France will shut Turkey out of the EU and give it to the US in the Middle East. However, it will use the Turkey trump card for many years against both Berlin and Washington. Sentences including the word ‘but’ will confuse Turkey on Dec. 17.