US support for Turkey's EU bid comes as France creates hurdles

13/06/2008

US support for Turkey's EU integration comes at a time of increasing fears that Turkey's ongoing crisis and French efforts to block its EU membership could thwart Ankara's hopes.

By Ayhan Simsek for Southeast European Times -- 13/06/08

French State Secretary for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet called the plan to submit Turkey's bid to join the EU to a referendum an "insult". [Getty Images]

US President George W. Bush urged European allies on Tuesday (June 10th) to support Turkey's strategically important orientation towards the EU. "We strongly believe Turkey should be a member of the EU, and we appreciate Turkey's record of democratic and free market reforms and working to realise its EU aspirations," Bush said after the US-EU summit in Slovenia.

Bush's remarks come as France, a proven sceptic of Turkey's EU aspirations, prepares to assume the rotating six-month EU presidency on July 1st.

France's objections aside, the current political crisis in Turkey, with the ruling Islamist-rooted Justice and Development Party facing possible closure for allegedly undermining secularism, may damage the country's EU process. EU Enlargement chief Olli Rehn has cited the probable suspension of accession negotiations if Turkey fails to honour democratic principles.

"Opponents of Turkish membership will likely seize on the closure of Turkey's popular governing party as [a] further rationale for shunting Turkey towards a special relationship with the EU," wrote Dr. Ian Lesser of the German Marshall Fund.

"Negotiations, once suspended, may be very difficult to restart." Turkish support for the process and faith in the EU continue to decline. About 75% of Turks supported the EU membership process in 2004. This figure fell to 49% in the latest Eurobarometre survey.

A controversial step by French politicians may further undermine the credibility of pro-EU forces in Turkey. Late last month, the French National Assembly approved a law that would mandate a referendum for accepting Turkey's probable membership in the future.

In January, Paris scrapped a clause on obligatory referenda on EU enlargement, leaving the decision on how to ratify a country's EU membership to French President Nicolas Sarkozy.

But the French National Assembly added a phrase to the constitutional reform package, stating that a referendum should remain mandatory for accepting new countries with populations totaling more than 5% of the EU's total size.

Observers perceive the wording as deliberately targeting Turkey's EU membership. French State Secretary for European Affairs Jean-Pierre Jouyet criticised the move as an "insult" to Turkey.

The French Senate's foreign affairs and defence committee also criticised the move and on Thursday rejected the amendment.

Turkey has long urged France not to block its EU talks, which it calls a key driver of major reforms and national transformation. EU officials also underline that Turkish membership is not imminent and that the process is hardly automatic. Turkey can enter the EU only if it meets all conditions and complies with European principles and laws.