TENSE TIME FOR TURKEY: EU TO DECIDE ON ITS FUTURE, POPE MAKES CONTROVERSIAL VISIT
by Peter Goodspeed, National Post
National Post (Canada)
November 20, 2006 Monday
All but Toronto Edition
Turkey’s relations with Europe are at a crucial turning point. Not
since the Polish King Jan Sobieski sent Pope Innocent XI news of his
triumph over the Ottoman Turks at the gates of Vienna in 1683 have
the civilizations of Europe and Turkey clashed so completely.
Early next month, as European Union leaders gather for their annual
summit meeting in Brussels, the European Commission will decide
whether to continue negotiating with Turkey over its lengthy bid to
become accepted as part of the European Union.
The decision, which could totally transform the West’s relations
with the Muslim world, comes amid a flurry of cultural and political
clashes that are fuelling mutual suspicions and contributing to a
growing sense of crisis between Turkey and Europe.
An unresolved 32-year conflict with Greece over Cyprus, concerns over
Turkish censorship and complaints over official attempts to deny the
Armenian genocide have collided with passionate disputes over religion
and racism to disrupt relations.
Even Pope Benedict XVI’s Nov. 28 to Dec. 1 visit to Turkey — his
first as Pope to a Muslim country — is expected to increase tensions.
The Pope’s pilgrimage was rooted in his desire to meet the spiritual
leader of the world’s Orthodox Christians, Ecumenical Patriarch
Bartholomew I. But it has been transformed into a major fence-mending
exercise after the Pope outraged Muslims two months ago in a speech
to his old university in Germany in which he quoted remarks critical
of the Prophet Muhammad by a 14th-century Byzantine emperor.
The controversy erupted almost a year after a wave of similar violent
demonstrations swept the Muslim world in response to cartoons of the
Prophet published by a Danish newspaper.
In Turkey, the Pope’s speech had an additional sting. It reminded
people that, before he became Pope, Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger staunchly
opposed Turkey’s admission to the EU.
"Turkey has always represented a different continent, always in
contrast with Europe," he said in a 2004 interview with the French
newspaper Le Figaro. "Europe was founded not on geography, but on a
common faith.
"It would be an error to equate the two continents … Turkey is
founded upon Islam … Thus the entry of Turkey into the EU would be
anti-historical," he added.
At other times, the Pope has criticized Europe’s reluctance to
acknowledge its Christian roots for fear of offending its growing
population of Muslim immigrants.
The Pope’s comments struck a chord with a rising opposition to
Turkey’s EU membership in countries like France, Austria, Denmark
and the Netherlands, where there is wariness at admitting a poor
overwhelmingly Muslim country of 70 million people.
Similar sentiments have led several EU members to suggest Turkey
should be granted "privileged partnership" rather than full membership.
The fact that only 3% of Turkey’s land mass actually lies in Europe
spurs continental skeptics who feel Europe is already struggling to
integrate 12 million Muslim immigrants.
Jose Manuel Barroso, the EU President, has suggested it may take more
than 20 years for Turkey to gain admission.
This month, the EU issued a report that was highly critical of
Turkey’s progress in accession talks. After a year, only one of the 33
"chapters" Turkey must negotiate on has been closed, it said.
"Further efforts are needed in particular on freedom of expression,"
the report says. "Further improvements are also needed on the rights
of non-Muslim religious communities, women’s rights, trade union
rights and on civilian control of the military."
The EU had a long list of complaints: Senior members of Turkey’s armed
forces meddle in politics; Turkey lacks an independent judiciary;
corruption is widespread; allegations of torture and ill-treatment
outside detention centres are common.
Still, the most pressing problem remains Cyprus.
Turkey refuses to open its ports to Cypriot planes and ships until an
international embargo against the Turkish-occupied portion of Cyprus
is lifted.
Greece and Cyprus, both EU members with the power to veto Turkey’s
entry, are threatening to block future EU talks with Turkey until
the issue is resolved.
Finland has proposed a last-minute compromise, suggesting the EU
reduce some restrictions on Turkish-run northern Cyprus in return
for Turkey opening its ports to Greek Cypriots.
If Ankara fails to agree, the EU may decide as early as Dec. 14 to
suspend all talks with Turkey.
Philippe Douste-Blazy, the French Foreign Minister, has already told
parliament the process should be "rethought," while Angela Merkel,
the German Chancellor, has warned Turkey’s refusal to act on Cyprus
will be "very, very serious."
In the meantime, Turkey’s relations with individual EU members continue
to deteriorate.
This week, Ankara angrily suspended military ties with France, a major
partner in NATO, in retaliation for a new French law that would make
it illegal for anyone in France to deny the Armenian genocide of 1915.
In addition, Turks themselves are having second thoughts. The latest
public opinion poll by the Pew Research Center says their support
for the EU has plunged to 35%, half of what it was two years ago.
With national elections due next fall, that raises the possibility
Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister, could walk away
from the talks to avoid any further embarrassment. That could lead
to a permanent rupture with the West that will dramatically change
the Middle East.
"How much longer will this secular democratic Muslim country look
westward to a European future, instead of turning east?" asks Denis
MacShane, Britain’s former Europe minister.
A frustrated Turkey could easily align itself with Iran and Russia.
But even more ominous, its tradition of secularism and its democratic
ambitions may come under renewed attack from Islamist radicals.