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CIAO DATE: 07/04
Winter 2003 (Volume 2, Number 4)
EU-Turkey: a good match? by Alejo Vidal Quadras
As the European Council in December 2004 nears, Vice-President of the European Parliament makes note of the progress Turkey has made while frankly pointing out the areas where Turkey still falls short of fulfiling the political criteria, emphasizing that Turkey is treated equally with the other candidate countries. Recognizing that the EU has an urgent need to strenghten its ability to influence the global and regional environment, Quadras notes that “the accession of a democratic, stable, highly populated country where a great majority of its people belongs to the Islamic faith would be a tremendously powerful message, confirming the ethical and political significance of the whole European project”. Stating clearly that the EU is built on the principle of unity and diversity, Quadras concludes by saying that as long as Turkey does her homework, 450 million fellow-Europeans will be waiting for her with their arms open.
Turkey and the EU: Bringing Together a Regional Power and a Global Actor by Eduard Soler i Lecha
This article focuses on the parallel evolution of the foreign policies of Turkey and the European Union. It assesses to what extent it is possible to make compatible Turkey’s role as a regional power with EU’s plans of becoming a global and united international actor. The concept of ‘Europeanizing Turkey’s Foreign Policy’ appears as an interesting option and the article attempts to apply it to the policies towards the Balkans, Russia, Central Asia and the Middle East. Hence, several ideas are proposed in order to increase the compatibilities between both foreign policies and obtaining mutual benefits.
Europe and Israel: What Went Wrong? by Dimitris Keridis
In analyzing the Euro-Israeli relationship, the author takes up the historical, cultural, and strategic perspectives, as well as the various policy-making constituencies (executive, legislative, media, or business) and the complex, and often diverging processes of formulating official policy and public opinion at the national or the E.U. level. Finally, the United States’ role as a dominant global player and evolving relationship with both Europe and Israel are taken into account. Keridis analyses the perceptions of the involved parties and the potentials that lie ahead in this article, which concludes that the EU’s assistance is infact of vital importance for the benefit of the region as a whole including first and foremost Israel.
Misunderstanding Turkey by Andrew Mango
The author of this paper points out the pragmatic nature of the Turkish public and state when it comes to domestic and regional priorities. The idea that Turkey is in search of an identity or that historical hostilities govern regional relations are some of the assumptions which Mango believes lead to a misunderstanding of Turkey. Analyzing historical and domestic developments in this light, the paper puts forth that Turkey’s decisions are dictated primarily by the search for economic well being and stability, and that Turkey’s prospect of beginning of membership negotiations with the EU and regional role need to be evaluated in this framework.
Turkey is European … for Europe’s sake by Kalypso Nicolaidis
With the December 2004 deadline approaching, the discussion on whether Turkey is European or not is one of the top items on the agenda of the European Union. There are varying responses to the question including the critical one of Valery Giscard d’Estaing stating that if Turkey were to join the European Union, she would become European, and if she were European, the Union would no longer be. There are of course different aspects to the discussion like geography and religion and this article discusses the irrelevance of both stating that being European implies ‘feeling at home abroad’ throughout the rest of the Europe and those who do not ‘feel’ in Europe in Turkey do not do so either in Greece, Portugal or Malta.
The Added Value of Turkish Membership to European Foreign Policy by Og˘uz Demiralp
The EU is working on formulating a Common Foreign and Security Policy (CFSP) that is not ‘unique’ or ‘single’, but ‘common’. This is a sine qua non if Europe aims to be recognised as an eminent global actor. Currently EU’s foreign policy lacks leverage and influence, and needs to be redressed. The enlargementof the EU needs to be evaluated in terms of its positive impact on the above mentioned issues. In this framework, Turkey is a country that can make an important contribution with its geostrategic position and as the anti-thesis of the apocalyptic theory of ‘Clash of Civilizations’.
The Self-Definition of Europe: Where does Turkey Stand? by Senem Aydın
The European wide debate over Turkish accession to the European Union reached its peak with the period prior to and following the Copenhagen Summit of 2002. This article proposes that one of the major reasons behind the acceleration of the debate has been the self-definition process of Europe precipitated with the developments in the international system with the Iraq war and the final stages of enlargement to Central, Eastern and Southern Europe with the exception of Turkey who is yet to start accession negotiations. These factors, by having significant impacts on EU’s foreign policy orientations, its institutional set up and the question over its identity, create an encompassing framework within which the debate over Turkey’s accession can best be placed and future scenarios can be drawn.
Of Chaos And Power : Will Europe Become A Strategic Community ? by Sinan Ülgen
The debate on European security entered a new stage with the strategy paper entitled “A secure Europe in a better world” submitted by the High Representative Javier Solana and adopted by the Brussels Summit in December 2003. The objective of this paper is to conceptualize the Union’s strategic posture. As such it is really the first step towards a strategic community, a dimension that had been lacking in the EU. The paper sets out a number of proposals for enabling the Union to play a more effective role on the international stage and contribute more actively to global security and stability. The emergence of a EU security posture however presents Turkey with a real dilemma. That can be a useful development for Turkey as long as it enhances the country’s prospects for accession on the basis of its role as a pivotal country. Yet it can also give rise to concern by undermining NATO, a traditional anchor for Turkish security and foreign policy. The best outcome for Turkey under these circumstances will require the setting of concrete and achievable foreign policy objectives based on a comprehensive and regularly updated analysis of the new environment; and a flexible diplomacy that has learned to adapt to and to take advantage of this constantly evolving environment.
Can Religion Heal America’s Disadvantaged? by Soner Cagaptay
While Turkey prepares for a make or break year with the European Union (EU), perhaps a not less important issue for Ankara is its relationship with Washington. Over the past year, US-Turkish relationship has undergone some serious challenges. Despite the positive developments of the past months, today Ankara and Washington still do not appear to be on the same page when it comes to Iraq or their vision of the Middle East. Then, it seems that if the U.S.-Turkish relationship is to be reinvigorated in 2004, this would likely take place elsewhere, including Turkey’s northern neighborhood (from the Balkans and Black Sea basin, to the Caucasus and Central Asia). There are many tangible opportunities for cooperation in this region. For instance, Washington and Ankara can work to bolster the energy corridor, carrying gas and oil out of the Caucasus and Central Asia, while helping facilitate democratic transitions in this area. Besides, they can collaborate to preserve the native brand of peaceful Islam in this region against the violent strains of wahhabism and Iranian propaganda. Finally, there is a golden opportunity for Turkey in 2004 for Ankara’s own interests, as well as the U.S.-Turkish partnership: NATO’s 2004 Istanbul summit. Turkey can launch a process of bringing countries around the Black, Caspian, and even the Mediterranean Seas into NATO’s fold, as committed partners. A new NATO headquarters, “NATO-Istanbul,” could be established in Istanbul to promote NATO security and guide NATO expansion in this area.
In sum, the immediate prospects of US-Turkish partnership lie in Turkey’s north as well as in Turkey’s ability to engage its potential in this region while facilitating NATO enlargement into its neighborhood. Herein lie the promises of 2004 for Turkey, for the U.S. and the EU.
Europe and the Iranian question by Steven Everts
Iran is becoming the number one agenda item of the international agenda. This paper explores the relationship between three dimensions of the topic: Iran’s quest for nuclear weapons, internal dynamics of the regime, and Transatlantic relations as they relate to Iran. The inherent conflicts between approaches towards Iran are taken up in light of the impact to domestic reforms and potential security threats.
Everts outlines the consequences for Europe of the various US policy options towards Iran and analyses the links among policy formulations. Focusing on the need for the EU to come up with effective and creative policies, Everts points out that Europe, and especially Britain, must influence America in order to forestall a collision between Washington and Tehran, prevent a transatlantic divide and consequently a serious fragmentation within the EU.
Europe and the Iranian question by Ziya Önis
The tragic events of September 11th may have added a new dimension to Turkey’s global significance, which had decreased with the ending of the Cold War. This article discusses whether Turkey can be defined as a benign regional power and how the course of events starting from 1999, such as the capture of the terrorist leader Abdullah Ocalan and the declaration of Turkey as a candidate for EU membership have contributed to Turkey’s constructive role in the region. The changing nature of US-Turkish relations and Turkey’s domestic transformations are viewed in light of Turkey’s bid for EU full membership.
Europe and the Iranian question