Sir,
The debate over whether Turkey’s destiny lies with Europe or with the Asian continent is endless. Why does the European Union choose to bring in some states and not others; why does it prioritise some states over others in the enlargement process?The EU stresses that its approach to enlargement and to selecting candidate states is objective, in the sense that it follows the Copenhagen criteria; yet the evidence suggests that EU support for applicants’ efforts to fulfil the Copenhagen criteria gives priority to some over others.What might be the factors driving these policies and what are the criteria that implicitly or explicitly guide the EU in its enlargement policy?
In his article “How Western is Turkey?”, David Tonge expounds on various issues related to whether or not Turkey has a European vocation. I fully agree with Tonge’s assertion that Turkey is different from the EU-25, just as each of the member states is politically, socially and culturally different. Over the centuries, the European continent has been ravaged by internal wars, but since the end of World War II Europe has experienced peace and the respect of democratic principles. The Council of Europe, the UN, the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and other institutions have also helped in achieving this feat. Needless to say, it has been the EU that was instrumental in enabling Europe to prosper peacefully and democratically.
We Europeans must ask ourselves whether we want to remain a purely Christian club, or whether we should embrace an Islamic nation of 70m people? Since the beginning of the 20th century, Turkey embarked under Kemal Ataturk on a process of modernisation and secularisation. Yet cultural and social fears within individual EU countries are among the reasons for Europe’s reluctance to fully embrace Turkey. Europe is not the EU institutions alone, it is also the concern of each and every European citizen. The diverse populations of Europe may feel that bringing Turkey and its traditions into the EU could result in a loss in identity and values, and whether such concerns are legitimate or not is highly debatable. Each European citizen nevertheless has every right to voice such concerns.
Coming from a small Mediterranean island like Malta, with a deep history of colonialisation, I strongly agree with David Tonge that a just solution to the Cyprus problem must be found if Turkey is to improve its image and credibility in Europe.
One must also keep in mind that Europe’s population is ageing at a fast rate and its workforce is bound to shrink drastically, with a consequent negative effect on our social and economic structures. Keeping these facts in mind, Europe will have to open up its doors even further and welcome still more member states if it is to remain regionally and globally competitive. Turkey can be seen as both an opportunity and a threat - culturally, socially, politically and economically. The ball is now in Turkey’s court in continuing to implement the necessary reforms to be eligible for membership. But the EU's institutions and member states must for their part keep an open mind when deciding on Turkey’s European vocation, bearing always in mind the concerns of Europe’s citizens.