BY OKTAY EKSI
HURRIYET- Our Ambassador in Paris Uluc Ozulker was saying the other night that the most favorable reply for a Frenchman was always ‘no,’ and that French culture was based on ‘no.’
As you know, on Sunday the French nation rejected the European Union constitution by a majority of 55%.
French President Jacques Chirac tried very hard to head off this result, but the French rallied around his rival, ruling Union for a Popular Movement (UMP) party leader Nicholas Sarkozy.
The French nation’s rejection of the EU constitution is very important for us from the standpoint of the EU’s future and that of Turkey’s EU membership process.
Of course, this result gave the EU a slap in the face. However it has overcome so many problems since its establishment that it would be ridiculous to say that this will be the end of the EU.
Moreover... French culture is inclined to say ‘no’ as I said above, but later you can see that the same nation will agree to say ‘yes’ on the same subject.
Some say that those who are against Turkey’s EU membership heavily influenced the ‘no’ vote.
Efforts to prevent Turkey’s EU membership are gaining strength not only in France, but also in Germany. And if this autumn Christian Democratic Union (CDU) leader Angela Merkel wins the German elections and becomes chancellor, this front will grow much larger and stronger.
However, despite all this we favor continued optimism.
The opposition and tricks that have been played up to now were not successful in preventing the decision that our membership negotiations can start this October 3.
Let’s say Sarkozy and Merkel come to power soon. How many years will they stay in power? One or two terms? And until that time, it would not be possible to make Turkey a member even if they wanted to. When time comes for this subject to be handled seriously, who knows what will happen?