BY FERAI TINC
HURRIYET- There were actually discussions, just like we have now in Turkey, in other candidate countries during their European Union enlargement processes, but I don’t think their tension was as high as ours is now. I have to admit that I feel a European fatigue. The changes in Europe and the world have loomed large in the difficulties on the decision about Turkey. The world isn’t the same as in the ‘90s when the EU decided to go ahead with enlargement. We face a Europe altered by the Sept. 11 attacks and where multiculturalism has collapsed, hostility against foreigners is rising, and economic growth is stalled. Luxembourg, which is about to take over European presidency from the Netherlands, is already mulling over two issues. The first is a referendum on the European Constitution, something which will be used as weapon in domestic politics. EU policy will face obstacles from its members’ domestic politics. The second issue is Ukraine. How will it proceed now? According to Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Juncker, the goal shown to Turkey should be full membership, and a ‘special partnership’ for Ukraine. If the decision on Turkey didn’t fall in this period, things wouldn’t be so confusing. The point here justifies the claims that Turkey has to catch the EU’s fifth enlargement wave.
A ‘special partnership’ isn’t in play for Turkey, because even the continuity of the Customs Union would be very difficult. If there’s a cloud of uncertainty hanging over full membership, then Europe wouldn’t be a good choice for Turkey. This doesn’t go just for Turkey but also for other countries to which EU will propose special partnerships.
Greek Cypriots’ insistence that Turkey accept it has reached a point of threatening a veto, which is ridiculous. It will be very interesting to see how those who accepted the Greek Cypriots’ membership without it solving its most important problem will swallow the veto of one of the EU’s smallest members. The EU always finds some last-minute decisions, which means that the bargaining will continue.