SHOULD TURKEY STRIVE FOR EU?
news.az
Dec 4 2009
Azerbaijan
"European conscience is a lady whose whereabouts are lost and unknown
to anyone".
This phrase belonging to German writer Max Nordau is the most accurate
reflection of the history of relations between EU and Turkey. This is
a history of constant provisions, claims, badly hidden but seemingly
firm decision not to admit Muslim Turkey to EU, preserving EU as a
Christian club once and forever.
Naturally, EU does not state this in open but sometimes words are
not needed to understand the essence of some actions. In this case
the confessions are not needed either. Everything is clear: the
relations and cooperation between Turkey and EU started with signing
the due agreement in Ankara in 1994. But Turkey became the candidate
country under EU in 1999 and the EU started negotiations with Turkey on
accession only on 3 October 2005, more than four years after signing
the contract in Ankara. But the most interesting is that there is
still no "light at the end of the tunnel" and the date of Turkey’s
possible accession to EU is not specified.
Moreover, the appointment of German van Rompey who is the most firm
opponent of Turkey’s accession to EU, as a president of the European
Union, is an evidence that Turkey’s EU accession in the nearest
future will be impossible. Moreover, the poll held in five developed
countries of Europe (Germany, France, England, Spain and Poland)
showed that 52% of participants were against Turkey’s membership
in EU. Europeans are ready to go for a rest in that country, listen
to Tarkan, buy relatively cheap and quite qualitative goods and eat
Turkish meals but they are not ready to admit Turkey to the European
community even under the threat of death. Naturally, official Ankara
has not yet heard final ‘no’ from EU.
This is clear because Turkey and EU have common interests on
stability in the Caucasus, peace in the Middle East and security
of energy streams, in other words in everything that responds to
mercantile interests of Europeans that seem to have made up quite
a cynical but effective form of a dialogue with Turkey, promising
the latter to admit it to EU ‘as soon as it complies with the value’
accepted in an open and democratic European society". But these talks
are provisioned by the demand to recognize the so-called "Armenian
genocide". In this connection, it should be noted that Phillip de
Villier, leader of the French party "Movement for France and member
of the European Parliament, has already voiced a strikingly cynical
statement, differing with double standards: "Even if Turkey recognizes
"Armenian genocide" in the Osman empire, this step will not open
doors to the European Union for it.
Turkey must recognize "Armenian genocide", it is her moral duty,
but it is not a provision of EU membership. In this sense, Armenia is
closer to France as it advocates the same moral values as Europeans".
In other words, even the distortion of historical reality and
recognition of the crime that Turkey has not committed will not open
doors to EU. And this is the most obvious proof that Mark Nordau’s
expression is true. Another proof is the part of Vallier’s statement
that Armenia is closer to France as it advocates the same moral values
as Europeans. It is at least ridiculous that the values advocated by
Europeans include genocide of civilians, committed by Armenians in
Khojaly, occupation of the lands of a neighbor state and constant
claims to other neighbors (Georgia and Turkey), execution of the
parliament, regular falsifications of elections and termination of
civilians who do not agree with these falsifications and all other
things that made Armenia "famous".
In continuation of this issue, I would like to say that Leo Suren
Khalebli may become the first Armenian in the history, working in the
Turkish government. He has successfully passed the written exam and if
the results of an oral exam are also positive, he will become one of
the experts of the group on the ties of the Turkish government with
EU. Now show me ethnic Turks if not in the parliament of monoethnic
Armenia (which is impossible) but at least in the parliament of France
that adores speaking about the "European canons of democracy" and is
actively hampering Turkish accession to EU.
And the last moment. Last week Switzerland held voting on the issue
of banning construction of minarets. This was a suggestion of the
National Party whose representatives said they fear Islamization
of the state. The suggestion got support of 57% of the referendum
participants. And there has been information that the representatives
of the rightwing political parties of Holland and Denmark have
already declared the intention to follow the example of Swinzerland
and initiate holding referendums to ban construction of minarets.I
would like to remind that Turkey that is not accepted to EU for
its incompliance "with the European democratic standards" protects
the religious liberties on the highest level and has never voiced a
proposal of the need to ban construction of Christian temples. In
conclusion, I want to ask: should Turkey strive for the EU, whose
member-states correspond to the definition given by Marc Nordau?