AKSAM- Columnist Semih Idiz writes about Turkey’s quest for EU membership, the Cyprus issue and domestic circles “dead set” against any settlement for the island. A summary of his column is as follows:
Here in Turkey, we have an ‘obstructionist front’ which has maintained a years-long presence on the political scene. This front’s hallmarks notably include an appeal to the lowest common denominator and a demagogic exploitation of our nation’s deepest fears and nationalist pride. The very same front is now blindly insisting that last week’s Copenhagen summit constituted a clear-cut defeat for Turkey. By so doing, it is trying to mask its own deep-rooted fear of change. The reason for this is quite obvious: The universal values which will take their place as our guiding principles once Turkey unites with Europe are quite beyond the limited imaginations of these obstructionists.
Turkey’s goal of integration with Europe is at the same time shaking an age-old political-bureaucratic interest group. The members of this circle know full well that they don’t stand a chance of holding back the values which Turkey’s EU membership would entail. And certain ‘experts,’ who suffer from a lack of both wisdom and vision, provide the ‘intellectual logistics’ the objection front needs. They label the quest for a settlement on the Cyprus problem as a ‘giveaway policy’ or as a concession for Turkey’s EU membership, thus blaming the EU supporters for ‘selling out’ the island. We have to admit that this line of argumentation strikes a deeply resonant chord in Turkish society. Even the so-called leftist Republican People’s Party (CHP) has taken a similar stance.
In the face of all this, the new government, which certainly did not return from Copenhagen with an empty plate, has one indispensable mission, namely to maintain Turkey’s EU orientation. True, the Copenhagen summit fell short of meeting fully Turkey’s expectations. Yet, the fact that our accession negotiations could begin in 2005 is an undeniable advance for the nation. Now we have two more years to make the necessary arrangements before the December 2004 rendezvous. But when that day arrives, could the EU do an about-face? Maybe. But for the moment, it’s not the Union’s future stance on Turkey which we should be worried about, but rather our ‘glorious’ obstructionist front which is ready to sell out Turkey’s future for its own interests.
SOURCE: OFFICE OF THE PRIME MINISTER, DIRECTORATE GENERAL OF PRESS AND INFORMATION