October 1, 2007
Wisdom and the Turkish question
Nicolas Sarkozy’s proposal for a "wise men’s committee " to meditate on the European Union’s long-term future, and to report back in the first half of 2009, is ruffling all sorts of feathers around the EU. As Margot Wallström, the European Commission vice-president responsible for communication strategy, put it the other day: "Wise men? What about the wise women? And since this group is expected to work out solutions for the future of Europe, should we not involve young people?"
In fairness to the French president, I don’t think he has a fiendish plan to exclude women from his proposed committee, which would consider the EU’s future up to the years 2020-2030. He thinks the committee should have 10 to 12 members. Surely there’d be room for Edith Cresson in a group that big?
But the real problem with Sarkozy’s idea lies elsewhere - to be precise, in the EU’s relationship with Turkey.
Sarkozy unveiled his proposal in August at an ambassadors’ conference in Paris. There he said that, if the wise men’s committee got off the ground, he would lift France’s objections to opening new chapters in Turkey’s EU accession negotiations.
This caused a lot of excited chatter to the effect that Sarkozy was softening his opposition to full Turkish membership of the EU. What nonsense. One glance at his speech reveals that he said: "I’m not going to be hypocritical. Everyone knows that I’m only in favour of association [for Turkey]."
In fact, there is another way of interpreting Sarkozy’s idea - namely, that if he doesn’t get his way on the wise men’s committee, he will block all further EU membership talks with Turkey.
Moreover, it doesn’t take a genius to work out that what Sarkozy wants the wise men’s committee to report in 2009 is that full Turkish membership of the EU is incompatible with the EU’s long-term interests. So whichever way the dice fall, Sarkozy plans to win.
Unless, of course, Wallström can pack the wise men’s committee with a squad of very determined, very pro-Turkish women.
Traduttore, tradittore ! What Sarkozy said was “un comité de sages”, no sex (gender in “PC correct American-speak”) implied.
Posted by: john somer | October 1st, 2007 at 11:25 am | Report this commentAs far as Turkey goes, just ask the Europeans whom they think is European, faraway Iceland or near-at-hand Turkey ?
Nicolas Sarkozy’s opposition on Turkish accession is bound to evolve to the extent that he wants and finds it feasible to make France a full member of NATO for which the Turkish approval (alongside all the other full-member NATO states) is needed. Turks who have too easily consented to Greece’s NATO membership in 1980s, and lost an important bargaining chip, are unlikely to be equally generous this time around.
Posted by: E Ors | October 1st, 2007 at 2:51 pm | Report this commentTurkey is not Europe, but that does not imply that trade relations and some commercial agreements which might be benefit for both parts can not be done.
Posted by: JC 25 Banker | October 1st, 2007 at 5:59 pm | Report this commentThere are several features that “europeans” share like democracy, no women discrimination, no army ruling the political life, culture and a average income. The distances now are large, although they pretend to show Ankara as the European City. Having said, decades will pass before Turkey could enter European Union.
What is surprising for Sarkozy is a genetically Hungarian background person to be a French Nationalist. Maybe need to go back to his childhood. If we are to talk on equal terms, nobody in Turkey expects Europe to give-in from their so called criterias just for Turkey. However at the same time expect the people in Europe to have the same respect for Turkish accession should these criterias to be fulfilled. We are talking about a group of countries whom would accept a country like Cyprus with disputes all around against their criteria for no border disputes into EU. Fair grounds.. You should be kidding…
Posted by: Altug Oncel | October 1st, 2007 at 6:59 pm | Report this commentThe fact is that 15 to 20 % of Turkish adults are extreme and passionate muslims and have no intention of integrating into the european way of life,i respect that ,and they want the rest of the world to become muslim,i don’t accept that, so what is the logic of inserting these 15 to 20 million fundamentalists into Europe? a huge ghetto? an argument? division? when someone gets invited into a house,it must respect the locals , these orthodox muslims do not want to integrate,so a Commerce and Trade Association with Turkey is realistic and practical,it’s kind of childish to expect that just because we invite Turkey into Europe, they will want to become europeans, that large minority of adults has no intention of becoming europeans,they want Europe to become muslim, so let’s trade and be good friends but each in its own home, respecting each others way of life.
Posted by: blogger | October 1st, 2007 at 8:27 pm | Report this commentI believe that; Turkey should end the negotiations with EU. Turkey has nothing to gain with being a member of the Union. Not because of religion means, but because of economical and political benefits. Turkey is already a member of Customs Union. Other than that even if Its accepted to the Union, Turkish citizens will still be obligated to apply for visas, Turkey will also be asked to sacrifice Cyprus, for nothing in return.
Posted by: Kemal | October 1st, 2007 at 11:37 pm | Report this commentChange in Europe and Turkey are somewhat connected.
Posted by: Our Story | October 1st, 2007 at 11:52 pm | Report this commentIt is a long way. The most important task for the European leaders, in the meantime, is to educate their people on Turkey not with parochialism, but with an honest, enligthened approach. Only then, we can talk about a Europe where there will be “unity in diversity”.Great leaders do not hide behind cultural-historical stereotypes.
Turkey is not Europe so as Cyprus. EU has shown its intention by getting Cyprus in to the Union with its problems. Therefore, Turkey should not expect to get into the EU. However it is the wise Europeans which are trying to keep Turkey’s hopes alive. I think Sarkozy is the only one playing it straight. Turks should appreciate his honesty/straightforwardness. Moreover, what is the advantage of EU anyway? Another fact on the number of hardliner Muslims is that the two averages (in Turkey - in EU) will be closer in 2020. We might be calculating a 15-20
Posted by: MM/Karahan | October 2nd, 2007 at 7:14 am | Report this comment% Muslims in many countries like France, Germany and UK.
There is a fundamentalist leaning government in Turkey and after islamists take over Turkey, they will put their eyes first onto Western Europe. So choose your battle, our European friends. If you choose to be ignorant against current islamist government (AKP) in Turkey, next step is YOU. In today’s realities, Turkey and EU negotiations should be stopped. It is time loosing for both sides. Turkey and Turks should do their best in order to keep the truck on the secular and contemporary road. World does not need another Pakistan or Iran! Akp, Erdogan and Gul are greatest hypocrites. And Turkey walks on fire within their fundemantalist policies. I am afraid there will not be one united Turkey, if Turks let akp going like this. So Turks first should focus on their own unity, before EU dreams. Wake up Turkey!
Posted by: Charlie Brown | October 2nd, 2007 at 12:28 pm | Report this commentFrankly the EU has got it all wrong in looking East, & perhaps South too. It should be looking WEST! To the USA & Canada! Perhaps also to Mexico & the Caribbean. And in due course some of the more European-minded of the Latin American countries - eg Argentina, Chile, Uruguay, Costa Rica, El Salvador etc. Others could follow later if they wished to - eg Ecuador, Bolivia, Peru etc.
That wouldn’t leave Turkey out of a futrure looser organization than the currently the currently mis-guided, myopic, & potentially moribund EU. Instead, this whole new organization replacing the EU - initially re-named the North Atlantic Co-operation Community, & later just the Atlantic Community, would be a much happier, less stress-inducing, less lie & deception-using, international organization than the current shocker we have - ie the disreputable & degenerate EU!
Posted by: NATO supporter | October 3rd, 2007 at 7:56 am | Report this commentkeep dreamin´my friend…
Posted by: JC 25 Banker | October 3rd, 2007 at 4:13 pm | Report this commentRemember: European Union means European Union !