BY EGE CANSEN
HURRIYET- In the beginning, the European Union was a project for economic integration. In the early ‘50s, it was the European Coal and Steel Community (ECSC). Theoretically, the larger the market, the more opportunities exist for the production and consumption of low-price, high-quality commodities. We can call this the ‘enrichment of states,’ because large industrial organizations can serve big markets. These organizations can bring down production costs and improve quality at the same time. The ECSC became the European Economic Community (EEC). Even today when someone mentions the EU, what comes to mind is the free movement of products, services and labor.
Over the years, the EU pact grew and deepened in scope. Politics and culture started to play an important role. This bloc started as an economic cooperative, but became cultural integration. The EU became involved and entangled with political science, law, history, sociology and even theology.
The EU isn’t the same organization which invited Turkey and Greece to join 30 years ago. Turkey, with its Islamist and pro-Western sectors, and villagers and city-dwellers, wants to join the EU in hope of increased prosperity. However, the EU is hesitant to accept Turkey. ‘Turkey would be European if it joins the EU, but a Europe with Turkey wouldn’t be Europe anymore,’ warned former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing.
I asked myself, how are socialists and Islamists in Turkey willing to make Turkey an EU member and work together for this purpose? Professor Ayse Oncu, a good friend of mine, said that this has a ‘missionary’ character. She explained that missionary-type characters find another mission if their previous missions don’t succeed. Those people can’t live without a mission. That is, socialists and Islamists in Turkey are now cooperating in the mission of Turkey’s EU membership bid. But this concerns me: What happens if they fail? How could Turkey get back Cyprus and other concessions which it’s already made as down payments for EU membership? The concessions wouldn’t come back. Ambition is a weakness.