TURKEY STUCK IN EU RUT
by Tony Barber

FT
November 3, 2008

The European Commission’s latest annual report on Turkey is striking
for its kind words on Turkish foreign policy and its harsher language
on internal Turkish political developments. It describes progress in
some areas towards meeting the criteria for joining the European Union,
and little or no progress in others.

In short, there is something for those who want Turkey one day to be
in the EU, something for those who do not, and a lot for those who
prefer to let the whole thing just drift along.

On foreign policy, the Commission welcomes Turkey’s mediation efforts
between Israel and Syria. It praises President Abdullah Gul for
breaking the ice in relations with Armenia by making the first visit
to Yerevan by a Turkish head of state. It also recognises Turkey’s
constructive role in proposing a Caucasus stability accord to ease
regional tensions after Russia’s invasion of Georgia.

On domestic affairs, though, the tone is different. "Despite its strong
political mandate, the government did not put forward a consistent
and comprehensive programme of political reforms… Overall, there
has been limited progress on public administration reform… No
progress has been made on strengthening parliamentary oversight
of the military budget… The government has failed to prepare a
comprehensive anti-corruption strategy…" And so on.

The truth is that Turkey’s accession negotiations are stuck in a rut.

They started in October 2005, but out of the 35 chapters, or policy
areas, that must be completed before a candidate country can join,
Turkey and the EU have opened only eight. Another eight were frozen
in December 2006 because of Turkey’s refusal to open its trade to
vessels from Cyprus.

Nicolas Sarkozy, Angela Merkel and other leaders scarcely disguise
their opposition to full Turkish EU membership.

All this is taking its toll on Turkey’s traditionally pro-western
political and business elites and on Turkish public opinion in general.

Turkey has been diversifying its diplomatic and commercial relations
and engaging more actively with its closest neighbours, with the
Turkic world of Central Asia and, increasingly, with Russia.

Too many EU leaders give the impression of using a 30-year-old
mental map of the world in which Turkey is just some turbulent,
backward appendage to the south-eastern corner of Europe. In Ankara
or Istanbul, such condescension does not go down well.