BY TAMER KORKMAZ
ZAMAN- France has already planted a ‘referendum mine’ along Turkey’s path to the European Union. Ankara didn’t even raise a word of protest.
A package of constitutional changes accepted by the French Parliament and approved by President Jacques Chirac last week aims to block Turkey’s European Union membership. The decision announces that new members will not be admitted into the Union without the French public’s consent after 2007. It’s obvious that the resolution aims to block Turkey’s path. [Turkey is currently the only EU candidate projected to join after 2007]
Even if Turkey successfully completes full membership talks in the next decade, the fate of Turkey’s membership will be decided by the French people.
The ‘referendum barricade’ idea belongs to Nicolas Sarkozy, head of the French government and the person most likely to succeed Chirac after France’s next elections scheduled for 2007. Backed by his party, Sarkozy has used the issue of Turkey’s EU membership as a weapon against Chirac. And at last, he was able to make the French Parliament accept these constitutional changes.
Sarkozy is offering ‘privileged partnership’ to Turkey, and 90 percent of his party members support this scheme.
Sarkozy stands united with the German rightists who are expected to come to power in the next German elections. In other words, the bloc against Turkey within the EU will be fortified by the year 2007. Meanwhile, the French public is being ‘stuffed’ with Armenian ‘genocide’ claims.
At the same time, the Cyprus issue is also at hand. However, there is no trace of a solution on the horizon. A few days ago, Greek Cypriot Justice Minister Doros Theodoru made a significant confession. ‘Our efforts to date have been aimed at preventing a solution,’ he said. ‘We’ll try to avoid negotiations till Oct. 3. Then we’ll pursue a solution within the framework of EU law.’
The Greek Cypriots’ strategy aims at forcing Turkey to recognize the Greek Cypriot Republic. They’ll block a solution until Oct. 3, and then Ankara will have to recognize them in order to continue its EU membership negotiations.
Greek Cypriots are the ones trying to prevent a solution, but Turkey has to pay the price!
How will the ruling Justice and Development Party (AKP) sign the protocol which grants recognition to the Greek Cypriots, when the Greek Cypriots have officially announced that they have no intention of compromising?
On top of all this, just when the EU Troika was arriving in Istanbul this weekend, female demonstrators were being beaten up by the Turkish police. Europeans who oppose Turkey’s membership will certainly use this to their advantage.