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E.U.: Turkey's hopes dashed

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS DEC. 13. The European Union, influenced by French initiative, today dashed Turkey's and British-American hopes for an early talk on Turkey's entry into the E.U. Ankara's progress towards better human rights may now be reviewed in December 2004 instead of May 2003. The actual membership negotiations will not start till 2005.

Turkish diplomats have described the European stance as "a disaster for Turkey and Cyprus''. According to European diplomats, many loose ends have yet to be `tied up' by the U.N. mediators before reaching a settlement on the 28-year old division of Cyprus, between Turkish and Greek communities. Britain and the U.S. had pressed for a Turkish membership review date before May 2004. The U.S. President, George Bush, had earlier telephoned the Danish Prime Minister, Rasmussen, to ease Turkey's way into the European Union.

It is obvious that the issue has left the E.U. opinion divided, though the debate has been put on top of the summit agenda. Many Europeans vastly see Turkey as "essentially a Muslim and backward country'' and some Europeans even fear that Turkey's entry into the E.U. may even block further social, political and economic integration of the E.U. This sentiment has been boosted in the backdrop of the September 11, 2002 terrorist attack by Islamic fundamentalists. The E.U. countries are also deeply concerned about Turkey's record on human rights. For example, the Scandinavian countries have strong reservations on this issue while on the other hand Holland, Austria and France look at the religious dimensions.

Some European intellectuals see Turkey as better aligned and culturally more integrated with progressive Central Asian Muslim nations.

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