New EU president could buoy Turkey's bid

19/11/2009

Two new EU posts could be the key for Turkey's future with the Union.

Various sources -- 19/11/09

"Turkey provides an intercultural bridge, preventing polarisation and demonstrating that Islam and democracy can co-exist," Turkish chief negotiator Egemen Bagis said. [Getty Images]

At a meeting in Brussels on Thursday (November 19th), the EU hopes to decide who will assume the top posts created by the bloc's new reform treaty, which enters into force December 1st. The results, coupled with the newly ratified Lisbon Treaty, could play a major role in expanding Europe's borders to include Turkey.

The two new positions -- EU president and the high representative for international affairs -- have 2.5 and 5-year terms, respectively.

The aim of the presidential post, according to the Union, "is to give Europe a more recognisable personality and to represent its views on the world stage". Current favourites for the position are Belgian Prime Minister Herman Van Rompuy, Luxembourg Prime Minister Jean-Claude Junker and former Latvian President Vaira Vike-Freiberga.

The high representative will lead the bloc's foreign ministers' meetings, co-ordinate policy positions and have input on how the bloc spends its annual foreign aid budget.

"From a formal point of view, neither the new post of president nor the Lisbon Treaty will change anything as far as enlargement is concerned -- the requirements for candidate countries to get in and also the rules for the EU to admit are still the same," EU Council administrator Pier Paolo Settembri told Hurriyet Daily News.

However, he continued, "if [the new chief] has a visible personality that has an active role in the international scene and is recognized as an influential partner, then I think everything will be affected by this new post, including the enlargement process."

"The Lisbon Treaty will have a major impact on all external actions of the EU, including enlargement," Thomas Grunert, head of the European Parliament unit responsible for enlargement said. "If the new president is a person who has a positive attitude towards further enlargement … and has an open-minded attitude towards Turkey, that will of course have an impact."

Most arguments on behalf of Turkey's membership bid focus on bridge building. "We believe that Turkey's membership … provides a valuable opportunity for the encounter of societies with different beliefs and cultures, and bringing civilizations together under the EU," Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said earlier this year.

"Turkey provides an intercultural bridge, preventing polarisation, and demonstrating that Islam and democracy can co-exist," Turkey's chief negotiator Egemen Bagis said last week.

But is the European public persuaded?

The Bogazici University Centre for European Studies conducted a poll in five EU-member countries.

The survey of 5,000 people in Germany, France, the UK, Spain and Poland showed that 68.5% have positive opinions about Turkey, as opposed to the 25% with negative opinions. Turkey's membership is mostly supported by those between ages 18-24 and those with college degrees. The 65 and above age bracket is the least supportive.

The results also showed that while Europeans define their identity in terms of human rights, democracy and socio-economic welfare, and accept these as the main criteria for membership, they evaluate Turkey's membership in terms of culture. Almost 40% said that cultural factors determine their attitude towards Turkey.

The arguments that were found most convincing against Turkey's membership focus on religious differences: being a Muslim country, Turkey does not fit the Christian origins of the EU.

The arguments that were found most convincing for Turkey's membership include those on the country's contribution to EU influence in the Middle East and its military contribution.