I tend to disagree with Mr. Lagendijk’s views on Turkey. I don’t think his perspective of the issue is consistent with that of the people he represents. Now, he is right in my humble opinion. The EU needs to help at all expenses this Muslim country’s passage from nominal to real democracy. Turkey could really well become a model to other Muslim nations that may wish to follow suit. Thus, all efforts must be directed to ease Turkey’s path to this transition and that should include both financial and political support. Turkey on the other hand needs to show progress in all those issues that have been for years on the table.

It is a chimera to think that in this current economic context the EU could absorb a massive country like Turkey and not implode while attempting to do so. The decision pertaining Turkey’s European future belongs to our children and grandchildren. Let’s prepare each other for that decision to come perhaps 20 years for now.

joseutrecht@hotmail.com

Turkey has done its best to conform to EU standards and I think we should speed up full membership as fast as possible, even if the Kurds are not treated as they should be yet, and even if corruption is still a significant problem in the Turkish economy. I am convinced that we can solve many of the problems once Turkey is within the EU.

KURDS
To Kurdish fighters I have often pointed out that the EU will end their problems and that they had better behave, so the membership of Turkey is not delayed by Kurdish issues. I have pointed out to them that the EU will invest in infrastructure, build schools and otherwise upgrade regions that have been neglected by national governments (such as Eastern Turkey). To Kurds who claim that this is not enough, and who want their own parliament, I point out that Schotland got its own parliament after (and partly because) Great-Britain joined the EU. In the EU we don’t allow one people to suppress an other.

The Kurdish problem is a Turkish issue, not a European one. Europe will solve it. We know how. Peace between sworn enemies gave birth to the EU, and still works as our magic wand. How very different from the tactics of the USA!

CORRUPTION
Corruption is not solely a Turkish problem. Berlusconi is in favour of corruption and in Holland we have Verdonk rallying for a similar decline of standards. High time for a Europe-wide, hands on approach to corruption. Indeed many of the new member states have deeply corrupt political establishments. “Establishments,” may not be quite the right word, since many of their political intuitions lack experience with democracy. This facilitates corruption. When we have enough experience in dealing with corruption in our present member states, we can tackle the institutions of Turkey, after it has become a full-blown member.

Somehow we have to define our European definition of corruption, so a big conference should be held including, if possible, the entire governments of all the member states. We have just witnessed the American elections and by our European standards, the American political system is one big legalized form of corruption. I am quite confident many Europeans agree with me. But we shall have to lay down our European definition of corruption before we commission any anti-corruption bureaus to teach new member states (and slacking old ones) about financial integrity.

The point is that Turkey is a part of Europe. That’s a fact. So, I am pretty sure that Turkey will join the EU inspite of the injustice by some conservative countries like Austria, France and the Netherlands who spread panic.

J Nivard calls for courage and Ian for rationality; I just don’t think thats the issue at all. EU is an astonishingly fragile construction, evn artificial to a large extent. What holds such federations – or clubs etc – together is the spirit of “us”: i.e. identity. Who we are depends on who we see as “them”. If “us” is anybody, that the fragile construction will fail.

I also think conflating Ankara’s failure to move forward with whatever drivel comes out of our European right wing is not helpful. There will always be people in the EU opposed for illegitimate reasons, just as there always be people in favor for illegitimate reasons (flooding the EU with cheap labor).

What matter sis if Ankara with its policy and law is in conformity.

If I wish to be hired, join an organization, run for office, or whatever, and am in outright active violation of the CORE norms, policies or rules of that organization, and have a record of being that way, it is up to me to resolutely and unequivocally change if I expect to join.

We are talking about a heavily armed state, with a record of ongoing repression of its own citizens both with overt and covert use of state apparatus, military threats and actions against neighbor states, murders of journalists, and a dozen other problems.

It is irrational to be opposed to Turkey on racial, ethnic or religious grounds. It is equally irrational to give such a huge state with so many problems , which are its to solve, a free pass.

I am very surprised to read terms like “unfair” and “humiliate.” We are talking about a state which is reserving the right to be unfair and whose humiliation comes from its own acts and policies.

Who humiliated Ankara with Pamuk? The Dutch? The Germans? The Greeks? the Spanish? NO.

Turkey can not expect that the EU will say, ok we accept all your problems, become a member now. That is not realistic.

Yes it seems that there is a lake of political leaders that are courageous enough to make the case for Turkish entry in to the EU, and that is a bad sign and it is a strange thing that those leaders are strong supporters of the EU

It seems to me that the liberals and Labour party do things from opportunistic view, that because of the populist politic from some in the Netherland.

We have to wait until will have there full brains back and come with a new vision of the EU, not inspired by short term solutions