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EU-Turkey: A Full Membership Or A "Privileged Partnership?"

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  • EU-Turkey: A Full Membership Or A "Privileged Partnership?"

    `Privileged partnership': Acid test for Turkey's will on substance of EU
    values

    Sunday, June 12, 2005

    DIPLOMACY
    EMINE KART

    ANKARA - Turkish Daily News

    Neither Turkish society nor Turkey's decision-makers have thus far
    indicated any enthusiasm for a non-official offer called a `privileged
    partnership' status that is supposed to eventually supplant its target
    of full membership of the European Union. Until recently, this
    so-called status -- that barely has any real definition -- has
    gradually begun to be dressed up, again non-officially.

    The question is whether Turkey being cool to the offer will actually
    spell whether it is in fact committed to full EU membership; or
    whether it will cave in to such a fanciful concept and ignore its
    long-term efforts of becoming a member of the `elite club.'

    Only twenty days before France's overwhelming rejection of the
    European Constitution in a referendum at the end of last month,
    Gündüz Aktan, a former Turkish ambassador now writing for Radikal
    daily, said in his article that the head of a French think-tank known
    to be close to French President Jacques Chirac conveyed Aktan's
    proposals on the `privileged partnership' status.

    Aktan, who is also head of the Ankara based think-tank ASAM (Center
    for Eurasian Strategic Studies), said that it was unknown whether
    those proposals, concretely listed for the first time, would be
    adopted by the French government as an official standpoint.



    A misleadingly attractive trial offer:

    According to Professor Ahmet Insel, lecturing both at Sorbonne
    University in Paris and Galatasaray University in Istanbul, the recent
    offer suggestedby Aktan seems `thoroughly thought out.'

    `This offer wishes to create an appeal for the current balance of
    power and components of that balance within Turkey,' Insel said in a
    telephone interview with the Turkish Daily News (TDN).

    A European observer of Turkey-EU relations ascertained the samepoint
    within the offer; `The offer is falsely attractive to some of the
    security elite in Turkey,' he told the TDN.

    `From the European side, it completely ignores the psychological
    drive of Turkey towards the EU,' the observer said, adding: `The
    recent offer provides that Turkey's membership talks last between 15
    and 20 years and that they are 'open-ended.' Thus; a `privileged
    partnership' could be established relatively quickly. Turkey may
    decide to continue its full membership talks and these two can
    simultaneously co-exist, according to the offer.'

    Two channels of annexation to the EU has been introduced to Turkey
    via this offer, one of which is an economy-trade channel by expanding
    the existing customs union agreement between the bloc and Turkey via
    including that which has not thus far been included in the customs
    union.

    The second channel of annexation is Turkey being included within the
    bloc's security policy within the framework of the European Security
    and Defense Policy (ESDP), which is considered a step parallel with
    progress towards a common foreign and security policy.



    Annexation or full integration:

    Insel said the offer suggests Turkey will be allowed to have a voice
    in some fields as a partner of the bloc, despite not having a place in
    the political institutions of the actual bloc as a member. He believes
    that there are two striking aspects within the content of the offer.

    `Through the inclusion of Turkey in the ESDP, the offeraims at
    wooing those circles in Turkey who want to integrate the country into
    international society at its strategic value,' Insel said.

    It was Angela Merkel, the German conservative leader, seen as highly
    likely to replace Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder's government in
    elections expected to be held this autumn, who first mooted the
    concept of `privileged partnership' during her visit to Turkey in
    February last year.

    Merkel said at the time she observed `pretty simple andpretty good
    perspectives' for Turkey's inclusion within the scope of the ESDP. She
    described these opportunities as a part of what her party, the
    Christian Democrat Union (CDU), defines as a `privileged partnership'
    or a `third way.'

    Former French President Valéry Giscard d'Estaing, who is known as
    the founding father of the EU Constitution; Nicolas Sarkozy,
    presidential hopeful and leader of the ruling French Union for Popular
    Movement (UMP); and Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schuessel are among
    those names who support Merkel's concept.




    What happens to cultural diversity?

    Merkel and the support-base for her idea bases its argument upon
    cultural grounds, with Merkel mainly citing Turkey's predominantly
    Muslim populationas a reason for wanting to keep it out of the
    15-nation, and overwhelmingly Christian, bloc.

    In a disappointed tone following Merkel's visit, Turkish Prime
    Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said that it made him `sad' to hear the
    argument that Turkey didn't fit into the EU because it was `culturally
    different.' He added, `We see no cultural unity in Europe, no
    `Christian club' and no geographical whole.'

    Insel said the recent offer reflects a view that is dominated by a
    tendency to see Turkey solely as a trading and security partner of the
    European bloc.

    `We can see that Turkey's cultural, political or demographic
    contributions to the bloc are not considered as `interesting' or
    `worth taking into consideration' by those backing that view. It is
    thought provoking to see astronger tendency to see Turkey solely as a
    nation of merchants with a strong military,' Insel said.



    To settle for being solely a merchant's and a military society:

    Given that the offer claims not to entirely exclude the possibility
    of Turkey's full entry into the bloc with a `privileged partnership'
    status being `a transitional period' so that it can run parallel to
    entry negotiations, Insel emphasized that it was already clear that
    this transitional period would be quite lengthy.

    As for Turkish society, the status is likely to be considered as a
    compromise. Yet one wonders if those facts within the offer introduced
    as`the most attractive aspect of the `privileged partnership' formula'
    might gradually woo Turkey's decision-makers, particularly regarding
    the long period of entry negotiations and aggravations ahead.

    As listed by Aktan; a number of foreign policy issues are the
    following ` attractive points,' namely; the Cyprus dispute, the Aegean
    problem,the Armenian genocide claims and the Kurdish issue would be
    dropped from the EU agenda by the new status.

    `It depends upon the preferences of Turkey's political classes: If
    they are glad to see Turkish society represented solely as a land of
    merchants and with a strong military and they feel content to be
    perceived as such, they could easily accept the offer,' Insel said.



    A choice beyond what it tells:

    However, Insel warned those who consider the offer worth thinking
    about by highlighting the probable consequences.

    `Considering Turkish society's potential, the status onoffer is not
    a particularly pleasant one. What they say is, briefly, `We won't
    trouble you on cultural or human rights or on environmental issues. If
    you choose to be a society lacking in democratic rights that violates
    human rights and pollutes its environment, you can continue like
    that.' Those who approach the offer sympathetically will not have the
    right to complain when Turkey's image in the world becomes that of a
    country with a strong military with cheap labor,'Insel said.

    On the other hand, whether Turkey and the EU end up with a concept
    of ` privileged partnership' status depends entirely upon Turkey's
    stance towards it, the European observer emphasized.

    Whenever it feels threatened, Turkey becomes entrenched, and quite
    often that small psychological gap between Turkey and the rest of the
    world becomes a chasm that leads to the country's isolation; an
    isolation that is, of course, self-created. Whether the `privileged
    partnership' status again stirs this national defense mechanism will
    display whether Turkey will pursue its thorny path towards integration
    with the international community; or whether it will decide to close
    in on itself, again.

    -----------
    Copyright 2005, Turkish Daily News. This article is redistributed with
    permission for personal use of Groong readers. No part of this article
    may be reproduced, further distributed or archived without the prior
    permission of the publisher. Contact Turkish Daily News Online at
    http://www.TurkishDailyNews.com for details.
    -----------


    What if I find someone else when looking for you? My soul shivers as the idea invades my mind.

  • #2
    [Translated automatically with Systran.
    Sarkozy is the most likely successor of Chirac. He's basically saying: "Don't we have better things to do than consider Turkey's candidature?"
    Devedjian is member of the same party.]

    Agence France Presses June 11 2005 Saturday 5:12
    PM GMT Sarkozy: "is not there other urgency" that
    negotiations with Turkey PARIS June 11, 2005 Nicolas Sarkozy,
    president of UMP and number two of the government, wondered
    Saturday about the advisability of opening in October of the
    negotiations of accession of Turkey to the European Union, asking
    whether there is not "not other urgency", at a meeting of the
    executives of its party in Paris.

    After having invited "to reconsider our European strategy", the new Minister of Interior
    Department estimated that the "first priority" was "to fix
    geographical borders at Europe". "widening in the East that I
    supported but who insufficiently was prepared and explained at all,
    weighed heavy in the victory of not" with the referendum of May 29
    over the European Constitution, it estimated.

    "it Is reasonable
    to open negotiations with Turkey since it acts of a great nation of
    minor Asia, not of Europe?", it asked. "There would be
    less sourness to immediately propose a statute of test privileged
    rather than to continue started discussions 40 years ago and, due,
    ever finished". "is not there other urgency only that to engage
    of the negotiations with Turkey?", it insisted.

    Patrick Devedjian, political adviser of the president of UMP and
    former minister, showed themselves even more virulent on this
    question.

    "We must ask that the opening of the negotiations be
    deferred. Especially when the German elections of September let
    predict a new German government, with a radical change of policy:
    it would be decent to wait ", it affirmed, after having recalled
    that" the chancellor (Gerhard) Schroeder was militant the keenest
    with this cause ".

    According to him, "the word +décence+ has
    all its direction in this business if one wants to consider well that
    it is disadvantage of discussing an association with a State which
    militarily occupies a part of our European territory (...) to knowing
    north of Cyprus. And there remains still a +mur of the honte+ in
    Europe, that which divides Nicosie in two ", it added. Mr.

    Devedjian also affirmed that "in spite of the speeches, Turkey did not
    make any real progress on the way of the values which melt the
    European Union", while insisting on "the situation of the women" in
    this country, the not-recognition by Ankara of the genocide of the
    Armenians and "the situation made with the minorities, Kurdish and
    Christian women".






    Agence France Presse
    11 juin 2005 samedi 5:12 PM GMT

    Sarkozy: "n'y a-t-il pas d'autre urgence" que n�gociations avec la Turquie

    PARIS 11 juin 2005


    Nicolas Sarkozy, pr�sident de l'UMP et num�ro deux du gouvernement,
    s'est interrog� samedi sur l'opportunit� d'ouvrir en octobre des
    n�gociations d'adh�sion de la Turquie � l'Union europ�enne, demandant
    s'il n'y a "pas d'autre urgence", lors d'une r�union des cadres de
    son parti � Paris.

    Apr�s avoir appel� � "repenser notre strat�gie europ�enne", le
    nouveau ministre de l'Int�rieur a estim� que la "premi�re priorit�"
    �tait de "fixer des fronti�res g�ographiques � l'Europe".

    "L'�largissement � l'Est que j'ai soutenu mais qui a �t�
    insuffisamment pr�par� et pas du tout expliqu�, a pes� lourd dans la
    victoire du non" au r�f�rendum du 29 mai sur la Constitution
    europ�enne, a-t-il estim�.

    "Est-il raisonnable d'ouvrir des n�gociations avec la Turquie
    puisqu'il s'agit d'une grande nation d'Asie mineure, pas d'Europe?",
    a-t-il demand�. "Il y aurait moins d'aigreur � proposer tout de suite
    un statut de partenaire privil�gi� plut�t que de poursuivre des
    discussions commenc�es il y a 40 ans et, pour cause, jamais
    termin�es".

    "N'y a-t-il pas d'autre urgence que celle d'engager des n�gociations
    avec la Turquie?", a-t-il insist�.

    Patrick Devedjian, conseiller politique du pr�sident de l'UMP et
    ancien ministre, s'est montr� encore plus virulent sur cette
    question.

    "Nous devons demander que l'ouverture des n�gociations soit report�e.
    Surtout quand les �lections allemandes de septembre laissent pr�sager
    un nouveau gouvernement allemand, avec un changement radical de
    politique: il serait d�cent d'attendre", a-t-il affirm�, apr�s avoir
    rappel� que "le chancelier (Gerhard) Schroeder a �t� le militant le
    plus acharn� � cette cause".

    Selon lui, "le mot +d�cence+ a tout son sens dans cette affaire si on
    veut bien consid�rer qu'il est inconv�nient de discuter d'une
    association avec un Etat qui occupe militairement une partie de notre
    territoire europ�en (...) � savoir le nord de Chypre. Et il reste
    encore un +mur de la honte+ en Europe, celui qui coupe Nicosie en
    deux", a-t-il ajout�.

    M. Devedjian a �galement affirm� que "malgr� les discours, la Turquie
    n'a fait aucun progr�s r�el sur le chemin des valeurs qui fondent
    l'Union europ�enne", en insistant sur "la situation des femmes" dans
    ce pays, la non-reconnaissance par Ankara du g�nocide des Arm�niens
    et "la situation faite aux minorit�s, kurde et chr�tiennes".



    What if I find someone else when looking for you? My soul shivers as the idea invades my mind.

    Comment


    • #3
      You know i was thinking that Turkey wont recognise the Armenian Genocide and grant rights to their minorities ,if they enter with a ''Privileged Partnership''.So i don't really know how much it would be useful for us if they enter with a ''Privileged Partnership''.

      Comment


      • #4
        They can be the "Turkish Millyet" with the ability to have their own religious institutions and schools - but no right to have an army or to own any tanks or to be able to testify on their own behalf in international courts...how does that sound?

        Comment


        • #5
          Actually the background of this privileged membership proposal is empty. Turkey has currently a privileged membership with EU since Turkey has a customs union with EU, Turkey joins almost all the institutions of Europe. Constitution, laws and regulations are mostly in harmony with EU. Only missing part is full membership. So I really don't know what they offer instead of membership. This is just a cheap trick of conservatives in Europe.
          Personally I am not so ambitious about this EU membership story. Europe has great internal problems. European Union project is a declining project since Europe can't produce, can't grow, population is getting older and the social security system is about to collapse. EU couldn't be a world power against USA as planned. Because they can not establish a foreign policy on world affairs. They don't have a power and authority on any international issue. Average GDP growth rate is about 1.5%. And more important thing is there is no improvement seen in the future. European education system is collapsing. Universities can not produce knowledge or technology. Shortly, EU can not compete with USA, China, etc. EU funds are at minimum rate and Turkey can not profit these funds like Greece or Portugal did before.
          Turkey is growing average 8% per year and within 20 years GDP per capita in Turkey will be higher than EU average. Finally I don't understand why a dynamic Turkey is so ambitious about joining this retirement club. For my opinion Turkey may search for establishing some alternative local unions instead of EU.

          Comment


          • #6
            Originally posted by karakitap
            Turkey is growing average 8% per year and within 20 years GDP per capita in Turkey will be higher than EU average. Finally I don't understand why a dynamic Turkey is so ambitious about joining this retirement club.
            In the Karakitap fantasy, it isn't Europe that is doing Turkey a favour by allowing it to join the EU, it is Turkey that is doing all of Europe a favour by allowing the EU to become a part of Turkey.
            Last edited by bell-the-cat; 06-14-2005, 09:03 AM.
            Plenipotentiary meow!

            Comment


            • #7
              Originally posted by bell-the-cat
              In the Karakitap fantasy, it isn't Europe that is doing Turkey a favour by allowing it to join the EU, it is Turkey that is doing the EU a favour by allowing all of Europe to become a part of Turkey.
              Yeah and I can't at all figure the motivation - I mean after all one can already find cheap Donner all over Germany at least....perhaps the French are hoping for an influx of cheap stale bread and watery wine...

              Comment


              • #8
                Originally posted by bell-the-cat
                In the Karakitap fantasy, it isn't Europe that is doing Turkey a favour by allowing it to join the EU, it is Turkey that is doing all of Europe a favour by allowing the EU to become a part of Turkey.
                Well, actually that's true. Turkey needs EU today, but EU will need Turkey in a close future. And it is not my fantasy. If you were familiar with international economy and policy affairs intead of try to label Turkey you would see that it is a well regarded opinion of intellectuals and academicians.

                Comment


                • #9
                  Originally posted by karakitap
                  Well, actually that's true. Turkey needs EU today, but EU will need Turkey in a close future. And it is not my fantasy. If you were familiar with international economy and policy affairs intead of try to label Turkey you would see that it is a well regarded opinion of intellectuals and academicians.
                  Hey no fair - you almost had us believing you....don't you know that you need to always caveat - that your refering to the (questionable) opinions of Turkish (so-called) intellectuals and academicians...I mean when it comes to economic forcasting (or political or historical opinons or analysis) I think one would be better off consulting "ask mr. 8 ball"...

                  Comment


                  • #10
                    Originally posted by karakitap
                    Actually the background of this privileged membership proposal is empty. Turkey has currently a privileged membership with EU since Turkey has a customs union with EU, Turkey joins almost all the institutions of Europe. Constitution, laws and regulations are mostly in harmony with EU. Only missing part is full membership. So I really don't know what they offer instead of membership. This is just a cheap trick of conservatives in Europe.
                    Exactly! That's all you deserve!



                    Originally posted by karakitap
                    Personally I am not so ambitious about this
                    The ideal world. Europeans don't want you neither! Instead, we should revive the tradition of "Tete de Turc." LOL!



                    Originally posted by karakitap
                    Personally I am not so ambitious about this EU membership story. Europe has great internal problems. European Union project is a declining project since Europe can't produce, can't grow, population is getting older and the social security system is about to collapse. EU couldn't be a world power against USA as planned. Because they can not establish a foreign policy on world affairs. They don't have a power and authority on any international issue. Average GDP growth rate is about 1.5%. And more important thing is there is no improvement seen in the future. European education system is collapsing. Universities can not produce knowledge or technology. Shortly, EU can not compete with USA, China, etc. EU funds are at minimum rate and Turkey can not profit these funds like Greece or Portugal did before.
                    Turkey is growing average 8% per year and within 20 years GDP per capita in Turkey will be higher than EU average. Finally I don't understand why a dynamic Turkey is so ambitious about joining this retirement club. For my opinion Turkey may search for establishing some alternative local unions instead of EU.
                    LOL! Dreaming never ends!
                    Last edited by Siamanto; 06-14-2005, 05:28 PM.
                    What if I find someone else when looking for you? My soul shivers as the idea invades my mind.

                    Comment

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