France's insistence on the wording of a document which would include reference to an "accession conference" just prior to a meeting of the General Affairs and External Relations Council has soured the atmosphere in Turkey again. A foreign ministers' statement on EU enlargement strategy omitted the words "accession" or "membership" in connection with Turkey, instead noting that the EU looks forward to an "intergovernmental conferences" with Turkey and Croatia later this month. Some interpret the French move as a response to the European Union's reducing the scope of the French proposal of ''wise men'' to discuss the borders of Europe. Others are more skeptical.Regardless of how others are interpreting what is going on, we Turks are quite cognizant of what is happening. Let's see what took place over recent months. Small but symbolic actions have added up. Turkey was removed from the map on the euro coinage; the French proposal to set up a group of wise men, which was interpreted as a mechanism that may provide intellectual backing for excluding Turkey; and the most recent development of removing the word accession in reference to Turkey. Other smaller and more devious initiatives can be listed as well, most of them initiated by France or with the backing of France.
The irony in all of this is playing out here in Ankara. The French Embassy here is playing dumb. "Well, our president has a certain position on Turkey but we are really not behind it" or "There's not much we can do other than waiting for the post-Sarkozy era, but let us continue to deepen our relations" could be a summary of the babbling of French diplomats running around frantically in damage-control activities. There is an illusion on the French side that they can get away with torpedoing our EU bid and simultaneously maintain good relations -- particularly economic ones -- with Turkey. It is about time we openly communicate to our French counterparts that this is not possible. Turkey should also get tough with French commercial interests as well as French initiatives in the region. Unless Paris sees that there is a price tag for obstructing Turkey's EU aspirations we will not achieve our objective.
By obstructing Turkey's EU aspirations France is not only harming Turkish interests but is also jeopardizing the future of the European Union. The Transatlantic Trends surveys of the US German Marshall Fund consistently show that large majorities in Europe want the EU to play a more active role in global affairs. Turkish membership means an appropriate remedy to the European unwillingness of increasing military spending and the demography question, not to mention European energy security. Turkey has many allies within the EU and they clearly constitute a majority. However, more decisive and principled stances are needed to prevent French policies constantly straining critically strategic relations.
Those in Paris who believe they can exclude Turkey and realize the full potential of the European Union are living under an illusion. Whether or not Turkey becomes a member we will coexist in an increasingly integrated geopolitical and geo-economic space. We southeastern Europeans are becoming increasingly irritated by the excesses of our French colleagues from whom one would expect more foresight and wisdom.
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