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