TURKIYE- Columnist Yilmaz Oztuna writes on Turkey’s EU membership process. A summary of his column is as follows:
If nothing goes wrong, the European (EU) might decide to begin to hold full-membership discussions with Turkey. Thus, Turkey might be a full member of the EU in March 2007 with Romania and Bulgaria. If we become a full member in the 2010s, I would consider this the biggest defeat of my life and believe that whoever does not feel the same way cannot be regarded as a Turkish nationalist. As a matter of fact, essential changes are likely to occur in the years 2010 in the balances in the world and Europe. Then Ataturk’s glorious country would be left as an eastern country. We would be obliged to lead a poor life. What do we have to do in a few weeks time? What do they want from us? These are all written in our National Programme. We have to be faithful to our word and keep our promise. We have to solve the Cyprus issue. A solution is possible as long as the other party does not demand the impossible. The other party also should understand hat the Cyprus issue cannot continue unsolved for fifty years. In terms of our legal system, we will accept the European law. We do not have the luxury to deprive our citizens of modern rights. As for the local dialect, there is no reason for us to be afraid of the radio, television broadcasts and language courses in the modern tongue within the legal framework. However, education in the mother tongue is out of question. The only other condition is the abolution of the death sentence. As a matter of fact, we had not carried out a single death sentence for twenty years. Insistence on not legalizing this action is nothing but a childish behavior.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION