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TURKISH PANIC IN EUROPE |
7 October 2004We owe great thanks to the European Union (EU) Commission member Frits Bolkestein, who hails from the Netherlands. Coming from the most liberal and least prejudiced of the European countries, Bolkestein declared during a September speech at Lieden University, "What is the point of the 1683 victory [over the Ottomans at the gates of Vienna], if we allow Turkey join the EU?" Thank you, Bolkestein, you gave us just the argument we were looking for.
Bolkestein's historical declaration underlies the fact that apart from cultural arguments, the EU has no concrete and objective criteria on hand that it could use to refuse Turkey.
EU opponents pressed Turkey on human rights violations and democratic problems two years ago and hid behind the Greek veto. That Europe would have said something akin to "1683 Vienna" two years ago, a time when it perceived itself as authoritative and well founded to teach the world on any topic, would have been regarded as shameful. Now, when it can no longer hide behind human rights violations or the Greek veto, is the very time when Europe will speak the truth without being hypocritical.
The type, sense, and spirit of Bolkestein's remarks reflect the crusader mentality that has overtaken some prominent public servants and that holds them hostage to thinking in terms of Europe in the Middle Ages. Please give ear to Nicholas Sarkozy, a Hungarian refugee who is now France's Minister of Finance. "A referendum is necessary for Turkey; but Europe does not need such a public inquiry for our 'eastern brothers' Romania and Bulgaria."
The referendum demand coming from French President Jacques Chirac seems to be a capitulation to the graceless offers of the French political elite asking that the rules of the game be changed because of the 'Turkish threat' now knocking on the door.
On the other hand, there are two crucial details: one is the referendum, which the French also used for Great Britain's membership in 1972, and the other is that Chirac's offer requires a referendum after the discussions.
Verheugen's hesitation and the news reflected in the European press all indicate that they are playing the game according to the rules.
We have not yet seen the EU's advice, which we look forward to; however, the speculation around Brussels is that it might come with many strings attached.
They say that discussions might be open ended, meaning each member country could stop the discussions at any time; or, if Turkey did not fulfill the requirements for membership, a mechanism to postpone the discussions could be imposed. The truth or mistake will be clear within a few days; but the debates on Turkey make the EU cower and search for any poor excuse that it can hide behind in order to walk away from the table.
Turkey, keeping the second Luxembourg process in mind, should not accept such vain discussions. It should question, in the presence of Brussels, whether the Copenhagen Criteria include any article related to culture. Only then will any doubt be removed on where the deficiencies lie.
Source: Zaman, 7 October 2004.
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7 October 2004
Selcuk GULTASLI
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