Zaman, Turkey
Sept 24 2004

EU Process will not Stand any more Mistakes

SELCUK GULTASLI

The last 15 days have been really exciting for us in Turkey. All of
Europe took Turkey’s future membership under the microscope because
of the “adultery” [issue]. Many things were said.

Christian Democrats, Armenians, and Greeks were madly pleased. This
debate showed the real face of Turkey, they said, and Europe was
barely saved.

Turkey on the other hand tried to decipher the profound diplomatic
secret code in Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan’s insistence [on
the adultery issue]. In the end, the issue was resolved with European
Union (EU) Enlargement Commissioner Gunter Verheugen’s statement, “No
more obstacles before Turkey.” Perhaps Turkey’s 45 years of hope were
saved in the nick of the time.

By looking at positive and negative aspects of the last 15 days, we
should draw a road map for ourselves over the next three months.

Let’s try to see this crisis from a positive angle. Even if, as it is
written in the Financial Times the other day, Erdogan jeopardized the
biggest strategic objective of the country simply to test his
personal authority, he prevented the EU from imposing other
conditions with a single strategy. Therefore, the requirements were
clarified in order for the progress report to come out “clean” and no
more gray areas remain. Because of the adultery issue, the camps for
and against Turkey crystallized more. Those who could not speak
before now had the chance to show themselves by taking on the
“adultery” issue. We have seen our enemies and friends once more and
now can better identify friend and foe. With this crisis, we have
seen that regardless of how well Turkey does its homework, little
things will be made to turn into bigger issues; the tolerance that
has been shown to some [EU] candidates will not be shown to Ankara;
Turkey will crash if it trembles, and the biggest friends of Turkey
will start to sway in the moments of such crisis. Ankara saw once
more that it has to take these realities into consideration and play
its role before the EU.

The most negative side of the crisis is that the reliability of
Erdogan, who has been regarded as the most “reformist” politician
according to some after Mustafa Kemal Ataturk and to others after
Turgut Ozal, was harmed.

His easily taking a step back in Brussels reinforced Erdogan’s former
style of politics. For a while it seemed as if he had adopted a
political path from the past. Even if the crisis ends, its harm
continues. Since November 3 [2002], the Justice and Development Party
(AKP) had never let Turkey be looked down upon until it let the
initiative to EU in the subject of reforms that made Ankara a
candidate take a hit once again with this crisis. The “adultery”
discussion paved the way for the anti-Turkey campaigns to begin
early.

We will discuss for a long time whether this debate stemmed from the
personal ambitions of Erdogan or appeared out of profound and subtle
tactical calculations; however, the most important lesson to be
learnt is that Turkey must tread carefully, knowing that the upcoming
three months will be very sensitive and unlikely to stand another
crisis.

As The Times wrote, enemies should be served equipment while the EU
has started to dig the trenches for the toughest fights through
Turkey.