Turkey and EU

TURKEY

EUROPEAN UNION

CANDIDATE of CAUTION

When asked about the reasons for the slow pace of Turkey ‘s advance towards European Union (EU ) membership , one Turkish diplomat replied They think of new reasons every year ‘ Actually , the full list of reasons is always present but the emphasis changes at different times even though a recent Turkish public opinion poll showed nearly 60 percent still support the EU membership

In Turkey , where Islam and secular principles clash almost daily enthusiasm for membership in what politicians describe as “a Christian club [banner_entry_middle]

” has waned somewhat as the Europeans stalled at the green light Leaders of the 25-nation EU , apparently disregarding outside opinion polls hostile to Turkey ‘s membership , insisted on opening the negotiations on time , even if it required glossing over certain Turkish acts said to be contrary to European principles . In contrast to the Turkish case , the European economic experience has been a stable period of relatively smooth and uninterrupted growth and development . Ever since the establishment of the European Economic Community and as far back as 1957 , Turkey has gradually become interested in becoming a member with the advantages and status that membership would bestow . In 1999 , the European Monetary Union was formed , but it is doubtful that Turkey will soon be ready to join that organization . But now it ‘s almost a decade later , which is a culmination of the current case , Turkey is an active candidate for inclusion in the EU

DISADVANTAGE OR DISDAIN

Among those constraints and complaints which could be mentioned are Turkey ‘s population size (and hence political weight and number of migrants in the EU , relative poverty (and thus the size of aid the EU would have to provide , Muslim population , anti-Turkish stereotypes limits on democracy , human rights issues , the Armenian question , the Kurdish question , the Cyprus question , direct conflicts with Greece and the structure of the economy . The nationals of non-EU states have rights to labor mobility only in so far as these are in principle guaranteed in agreements reached between their countries and the European Union . Agreements exist granting benefits to third-country nationals living legally in a Member State , but the conditions of entry and of access to employment are very restrictive . And such agreements for example , those reached with Morocco and Turkey , have not prevented discriminatory practices , notably in social security matters , from being practiced against nationals of those countries . Moreover , poorer member-nations i .e . Greece , Ireland , Portugal , and Spain would and are objecting to the acceptance of other equivalent or lower-income countries , including Eastern Europe as well as Turkey , because of the expected shift in development assistance . The EU agreements with other European partners provide for the removal of tariffs and other restrictions on trade by both parties , though sooner by the EU . Also provisions for the free movement of capital , labor , financial support social reforms , and technical and scientific cooperation are included

And as a potential member state , Turkey , had already witnessed the erosion of its fragile democratic institutions amid… [banner_entry_footer]