BY NAGEHAN ALCI
AKSAM- Looking at the portrait, this is the situation. Turkish Prime Erdogan is running away and German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder is pursuing. Don’t think that I’m making this ‘absolute nonsense’ comparison, as Erdogan says. I’m only telling you Germany’s stance following Schroeder’s visit to Turkey last week. Yes, maybe for the first time respectable German newspapers described a political visit in such a clear way. They made psychological analyses and described the two prime ministers’ relations this way. According to the portrait, Schroeder came to Turkey as a friend. It didn’t aim to mention his hesitations about the European Union or make criticisms. He even ignored the general thinking that reforms in Turkey have slowed down and said that Turkey’s EU bid shouldn’t be hindered just because of a few faulty minds. In the German daily Frankfurter Allgemeine, German columnist Nicolaus Blome described the honorary doctorate ceremony held for Erdogan as ‘exaggerated praise’ and ‘flattery’ not based on truth, that is, a ‘typical Turkish work.’ He added that even the soft style used by Schroeder concerning the Armenian issue wasn’t sufficient to warm up the ice-like Erdogan. Blome also claimed that it was easy for Europe to make things more difficult for Turkey and that Schroeder’s soft style actually gives the message that a Turkey which changes its point of view will be the one ready for membership talks.
Schroeder’s visit fueled discussions that reforms in Turkey have slowed down, and Erdogan described such criticism as absolute nonsense, which is another issue of discussion. This opinion has strengthened Erdogan’s reputation as uncompromising and damaged his ‘democratic’ image. Erdogan should be more even-tempered and make statements more appropriate to political dialogue. In addition, it seems the EU wants to make us tense. EU Commission Representative in Turkey Hansjoerg Kretschmer said that Turkey is far from completing necessary reforms and that even if the Armenian issue wasn’t a criterion for membership, it had an indirect effect. This statement gives the impression that the EU is playing a political game on us. For this reason, Erdogan should avoid impulsive statements and behavior. As we get closer to Oct. 3, Europe is using the so-called Armenian genocide as a trump card, forcing us to make concessions and present us with a fait accompli. In such a critical period, Ankara should avoid rash statements which might damage its determined path.