Turkish FM Gul Blames EU Leaders for Plunge in Turkish Support for EU

Journal of Turkish Weekly
July 8 2006

Saturday , 08 July 2006

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul blamed some European leaders
for the plunge in Turkish public support for the European Union (EU).

Gul told a press conference on Friday after his US visit that the
remarks of some EU leaders, who cater to their domestic politics
without considering the impact of these remarks in Turkey, are
responsible for the drop in support for the EU.

A Eurobarometer poll, carried in April over 1000 people in Turkey,
found that only 43 percent of Turks have a positive image of the
union. The recent figure shows a plunge in Turkish support for the EU
over a six-month period, as the corresponding figure was 60 percent
six months earlier.

FM Gul stated that the European side should act responsibly to
prepare the Turkish public. Gul noted; however, that the exaggeration
of certain issues in Turkey was partly responsible for the fall in
Turkish support for EU membership. Foreign Minister Gul pledged that
the ruling AKP would take measures to tackle the fall in Turkish
support for the union.

Most of the Turkish people are unhappy with the EU stance on Cyprus,
PKK terrorism, the so-called Armenian issue and the Greek Orthodox
Patriarchy. Remarkable numbers of Turks believe that the EU the
cynical intention to divide Turkey.

Unceasing EU demands on the Turkish government and increasing pressure
over Cyprus are seen as the main reasons why Turkish people have begun
to turn their back to the European Union. The more EU leaders criticize
Turkey, the more nationalist sentiment gains ground in Turkey.

Turkey commenced actual accession talks with the European Union in
mid-June, following its eight-month screening process.

Turkey’s EU accession process is expected to be long, arduous and
susceptible to crises, especially on Cyprus. Optimistic analysts
predict that Turkey, with its large population, may enter the wealthy
bloc by 2014 at the earliest.