TURKS’ INTEREST IN EU FADES
By Paul de Bendern
Doha Time
Gulf Times, Qatar
Oct 4 2006
ISTANBUL: The European Union information office in Istanbul has a
fresh coat of paint, the furniture is new and a row of computers is
on offer to tempt passers-by to discover more about the wealthy bloc
that Turkey hopes to join.
But the receptionist is staring at an empty room – a reflection of
a big drop in Turkish support for membership.
One recent opinion poll showed support for joining the EU had dropped
as low as 43% compared with over 70% a year ago when Turkey began
its long-delayed entry talks.
"EU support has dropped very fast… because of EU messages that
have been transmitted and interpreted as humiliating," said Huseyin
Bagci, an expert in international relations at Ankara’s Middle East
Technical University.
"Turks also see the EU taking concessions from Turkey without giving
anything in return," he told Reuters.
European Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn visited Turkey yesterday
with a carrot-and-stick message underlining the benefits of the
accession process, but also pressing Ankara to deliver on reforms
and on Cyprus.
But in a year a lot has changed in this large, relatively poor
and overwhelmingly Muslim country. Europeans are also increasingly
questioning whether they want Turkey in the Union.
Turks, sensitive on national issues, feel offended by a stream of EU
criticism on issues ranging from the role of the revered military to
the massacres of Armenians in World War I.
This has made it harder for the centre-right reformist AK Party
government to push through controversial reforms, especially ahead
of parliamentary elections due in 2007.
The European Commission is threatening a setback in talks unless
Turkey opens its ports and airports to vessels from EU member Cyprus,
whose internationally recognised Greek Cypriot administration is not
accepted by Ankara.
Turkey, which must appease rising nationalism at home, says the EU
must first honour pledges to end trade sanctions against breakaway
Turkish Cypriots in northern Cyprus backed by Ankara.
The European Parliament has also irked Turks by demanding Turkey
accept 1.5mn Armenians died in a "genocide" allegedly committed by
Ottoman forces in World War I. Ankara denies genocide, saying large
numbers of both Christian Armenians and Muslim Turks died during a
partisan conflict.
French President Jacques Chirac said on Saturday Turkey would need
to acknowledge the 1915 massacre to join the EU.
EU diplomats and Turkish politicans say the ruling AK Party, which
has roots in political Islam, knows it is falling short on reforms
but is prioritising domestic issues as polls approach.
"It’s simple window-dressing. The government is trying to buy time
as elections approach," said a senior EU diplomat in Ankara. "It’s a
strategy that is very risky as those opposed to Turkey in the EU will
use it to stop the talks." Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan insists his
government remains fully committed to carrying out reforms.
The Turkish parliament is now debating a reform package but it
falls short of EU demands on free speech and the rights of religious
minorities. It also does not address Cyprus.
Turks are also less focused on Europe as Turkey experiences an economic
boom and enjoys political stability.
"The EU is a Christian club, they don’t want to accept Muslim Turks,"
said Levent Hocheli, a 32-year-old manager of an electronics and
music store in Istanbul’s financial district. "In 20 years’ time I
still don’t think we’ll be members, but it’s OK. We are growing fast
economically." Many Turks doubt the European Commission will suspend
membership talks. Turkey, which has Nato’s second-largest army,
is seen as helping to boost Europe’s long-term security.
"I’ve seen so many ups and downs in Turkey’s quest for EU membership
over the past 40 years. I’ve heard 10 times it’s over," said Mehmet
Ali Birand, a leading commentator.
"The EU cannot suspend talks just over ports, that would be too much,
it would be like using a nuclear bomb to find Osama bin Laden,"
he said.