EU-DIGEST

Turkey -(Shortsighted) Europe closes the door

A year ago European leaders formally opened full negotiations with Turkey on membership of the European Union. It might have been expected they would follow it up with strong, positive and repeated appeals to their national electorates. With few exceptions, they have not done so. The welcome speeches were hardly delivered before the carping began. In France and Germany, in Austria, and to a lesser extent in Denmark and Holland and other smaller countries, politicians instead went to considerable lengths to signal to the voters that they were opposed to Turkish entry, or at least would permit it only under the most stringent conditions.

Whether such behaviour is or is not politically understandable, it has certainly not created an atmosphere in which what were always going to be difficult negotiations can be conducted. This is the background to be kept in mind when considering the European commission's recommendation this week that those negotiations be partially suspended. Two broken promises have helped create this impasse. The EU had committed itself to ending the economic blockade of northern Cyprus, while Turkey had committed itself to opening its ports and airports to Greek Cypriot goods. Neither has happened, in part because each is dependent on the other, but the EU maintains that Turkey's obligation is legally binding whereas its own was in the nature of a general assurance, and, in any case, circumstances have changed. The Turks, not unnaturally, balk at this interpretation. Note EU-Digest: It is amazing to see how much abuse the Turks have taken in these negotiations so far, while totaly "wobbly" and corrupt states like Romania and Bulgaria are being catered to and welcomed into the club with open arms. If the EU continues on this path in blocking Turkey the Turks might be better off not to be in the EU and start using their ideal geographical position and economic power to play a significant role as a power broker. There is nothing that can stop them, certainly not the shortsighted EU leadership. Even the Pope has come to understand that after visiting Turkey.