SABAH- Columnist Sukru Elekdag comments on the EU’s Progress Report on candidate countries released last week. A summary of his column is as follows:
The EU didn’t set a date for Turkey for the accession talks to begin in its recent Progress Report. However, contrary to what certain circles are saying, this in no way means that Europe has shut its doors to Turkey forever. Let’s listen to what EU Commissioner for Enlargement Guenter Verheugen said: ‘The European Commission will offer Turkey a date for its accession talks as soon as the nation proves that it is complying with what’s laid out in the report and implements the reforms. Turkey’s path towards the EU is clear.’
Yet, Verheugen’s statement is far from being just and fair, for, having recently taken giant steps in abiding by the Copenhagen criteria, Turkey had rightfully expected a more encouraging attitude from the commission, one envisaging a green light to Turkey’s membership at December’s Copenhagen summit. The EU, unlike its stance towards other candidate countries, failed to take a tolerant stance with Turkey, which has displayed a resilient political will to meet the criteria put forth by the EU. Turkey has furthermore, at every occasion, reiterated that it is determined to put the reforms into practice. The EU’s intolerant attitude on Turkey’s membership bid has proven one thing: The EU is making its moves in line with certain designs.
There are two main tactics the EU employed in its Progress Report. The first is that the EU is planning to push Turkey to compromise on the Cyprus issue. Secondly, it is waiting for Turkey’s Nov. 3 elections lying just ahead to see whether or not a stable and a powerful government, one capable of implementing the EU’s political and economic criteria, will emerge. All in all, in its Progress Report, the EU worked within a precise, objective framework in assessing Turkey’s achievements to date. But when it came to discussing what Turkey ‘has been unable to achieve,’ the EU failed to show the same exactitude and objectivity.

SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION