EU-DIGEST

EU - Turkey - Fitzgerald: A perfect example of the mentality one can see all over the Western world

"Arie Oostlander is the EU Rapporteur for Turkey. Here's what he said in an interview given on 18 November 2005 in Arnhem, about his work as that EU Rapporteur for Turkey: "My approach was, strict, fair, and open. There are very humane consequences to Turkish EU membership, if Turkey is really able to change into a constitutional state. And I really believe that people can change. It is very Christian to believe that, and very un-Christian not to believe that. Turkish nationalism, the education of judges and the police, the violation of individual human rights; - all this has to change in Turkey. When Turks told me they were afraid to push the army to the barracks because this vacuum might lead to fundamentalist Muslims taking over, I said, 'if you Turks are afraid of Islam, what then should I tell my constituency in the Netherlands? And if you are right, then there is indeed a structural problem between Turkey and the EU." Though very short, this statement manages to tell you a great deal about Arie Oostlander, EU Rapporteur for Turkey, about his hopes and dreams, his illusions and schemes, all based on his self-assured schoolgirlish belief that, as he puts it so well, "I really believe that people can change. It is very Christian to believe that, and very un-Christian not to believe that."

Note EU-Digest: Mr. Oostlanders choice of words might not have been diplomatically well chosen, but the fact remains that Nationalist forces and Government religious ambitions in Turkey are both a hindrance to Turkey achieving a level of Democratic and political maturity it deserves. We would also hope that Mr. Oostlander is aware that the EU is a secular community and that his obvious reflections about his personal religious believes are not part of the EU mission he has to carry out.

Labels: Arie Oostlander, EU, Turkey