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ANKARA: EU's Changing Strategic Reflex

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  • ANKARA: EU's Changing Strategic Reflex

    Zaman, Turkey
    Dec 19 2004

    EU's Changing Strategic Reflex


    While Turkey was experiencing an enthusiasm mixed with anxiety at the
    result of the historic December 17th European Union (EU) summit, we
    were in Waterloo, 20 minutes from Brussels, the site of the big war
    that paved the way for a new order in Europe.

    The decision of December 17th which reached through diplomacy the
    European ideal of integration that Napoleon could not achieve through
    war, seems to be the harbinger of a new order just like Waterloo once
    was. Ordinary Europeans, coming here to experience their historical
    heritage, expressed their pleasure regarding the decision on Turkey,
    which promotes the idea of a multicultural Europe. A Swiss man
    offered congratulations when he learned that I was a Turk.

    We've seen that the EU could not help in the Bosnian tragedy,
    remained passive during the Kardak crisis, which brought its member
    Greece and Turkey to the brink of war, split into two over the war in
    Iraq, and lacks both a global strategic vision and the instruments to
    put it into practice. How, then, could a strategically short-sighted
    EU take such a brave and globally significant step like opening its
    doors to Turkey's 70-million Muslims? Was the decision of the
    Brussels summit the ideal? Certainly not. Does it have problems? It
    certainly does. Is it less than what Turkey deserves? It certainly
    is.

    However, while we evaluate the result, we should not forget that it
    is the outcome of a European compromise including radicals like the
    former French President Valery Giscard D'estaing, who views Turkey's
    membership as the end of the EU, and German politician Angela Merkel,
    who calls for only a "privileged partnership" with Turkey, as well as
    common antipathy of public opinion.

    Among the Turks who went to Brussels for the historic summit, I think
    only those who know that the EU could not risk breaking off the
    process were sure that Europe has finally reached a strategic
    decision on Turkey. Awareness of this strategic decision was what lay
    behind Turkey's threat to leave the table. It would be wrong to
    understand the "strategic decision of the EU" as a joint decision of
    the EU with 25 members, many of them ineffective in world politics.
    What lies behind this decision seems like the signature of
    French-German axis, which has reviewed the phenomena of September
    11th and the Iraq war and given the Europe its soul. Although we do
    not know whether or not the state has such a secret strategy
    document, French President Jacques Chirac gave hints for this
    throughout his speech on December 16th. Chirac clearly noted these as
    a leader in a context where besides 65 percent of the citizens, even
    his own party rejects Turkey's membership. Two points need to be
    underlined: firstly, that Turkey is a large market and a strong
    economy. It should not be against them but working with them as
    rejecting it could cause instability and security risks on EU
    boarders. Secondly, Europe is a small compared to great powers like
    China, India and the US, but it can increase its power with Turkey's
    membership.

    Faced with this clear position, the anchorman of the French TF-1
    television asked one by one all challenging questions he can: "Are
    Turks culturally European? Do French people want Turks? Is not
    privileged partnership enough? Should not the Armenian genocide be
    recognized? Could Europe be a neighbor to Iran and Iraq? Will the
    French reject Turkey's becoming powerful in the EU?" His efforts were
    futile; Chirac did not step backward.

    Hence, although the EU complied with blackmail from the Greek
    Cypriots and caused trouble for Turkey, it made a conscious
    preference to become a "global actor". Despite another 10 or 15 years
    before full membership and the possibility of future European leaders
    to have opposing attitudes, this decision has begun to raise
    potential outcomes for Turkey, the Islamic world, Europe, and the
    whole world. Moreover, this step is the most hopeful development in
    international relations since September 11th, 2001. The important
    thing for Turkey, at this point, is to benefit as much as possible
    from this change of strategic vision in Europe and to quickly abandon
    European romanticism; therefore, get prepared to become an active
    member of the club in world politics.



    12.19.2004
    ABDULHAMIT BILICI
    BRUSSELS

    From: Emil Lazarian | Ararat NewsPress
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