The Sandspur

Issue date: 10/22/04 Section: News

Media Credit: ENCHANTEDLEARNING.COM TURKEY´S STRUGGLE: Turkey has tried for years to be accepted to the EU and policy makers are now await a decision.

The European Union reports itself that it is "an institutional framework for the construction of a united Europe. It was created after World War II to unite the nations of Europe economically so another war among them would be unthinkable." A major organization composed of many countries also comes with many benefits of security and economic unity, so it's no surprise that Turkey is next in line to join the EU.

There is hesitation, however, among the EU commissioners as to whether or not allowing Turkey to join the European Union would be a desired move. "Several commissioners have expressed skepticism about allowing in a secular Muslim nation with a weak economy and a questionable human rights record," reports CNN, "whose projected population would be the largest in the EU by 2025 at 80 million to 85 million people." The European Commission concludes that "Turkey had made sufficient improvements in human rights, justice, police powers, and the economy to be seriously considered for negotiations," but some countries feel there are still reforms to be made. "There is still a lot missing," warns Luxembourg's Commissioner Viviane Reding. "There is still torture."

CNN also observes the religious backdrop of the country as a potential problem. "Turkish entry is controversial across Europe, with public opinion divided on whether the bloc should accept a...mainly Muslim nation...into what has been a mainly Christian group of nations." Turkish officials, on the other hand, claim that "their country could form a bridge between Muslim countries and Europe."

All in all, however, there is discussion of beginning entry talks among the EU. Oakley asserts, "The actual invitation to start negotiating must come from a summit meeting of EU leaders on December 17." Though no vote has been taken, reports the Associated Press, one EU official claims the decision to start talks was reached by a "large consensus". EU Commission President Romano Prodi speaks to Turkey's advancement toward an EU-agreeable state. CNN reports, "He told a news converence that a major process of democratic reform was under way which had mobilized the whole of Turkish society. 'Turkey has quite obviously reached the levels required by European standards or will achieve them when the new penal code which has just been adopted comes into force,' he said."

In the end a unanimous decision for the recommendation is not necessary, though CNN reports that "anything less than a consensus would be seen as damaging." Necessary on Turkey's part, Oakley reports, is economic reform so that it may boast a functioning market economy. Halting Turkish migrant labor is a suggestion posed by incoming EU Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn. What has been assured is the application of the same standards to Ankara's bid as were applied to all other member states, including the 10 new states who joined the bloc in May, reports CNN.

Turkey's Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan affirms, "Turkey has done its task. Now the EU must do its task. They're the ones being tested now. If we don't want a clash of civilizations, but to succeed at reconciliation, Turkey must take its place in the EU." Persuasive in his argument, Erdogan now must simply wait for December to roll around in order to observe what decisions the EU may-or may not-make.

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