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MEHMET ALİ BİRAND Will Turkey be able to meet the Copenhangen Criteria Turkey is in the midst of the most stable and hope-inspiring period of the past eight years. There has been a marked improvement in Turkey's relations with the European Union, following the decision to grant it candidate status at the recent Helsinki European Union summit. It is almost as though a magic wand has been waved over the country, allowing a radical change in all of its affairs. Just as the traces of its former political and economic chaos have disappeared, new winds of hope are for the first time blowing through the society. Public opinion has taken on a new and positive stance and the old pessimistic outlook appears to have been swept away. The consensus is that the first years of this new millennium will usher in a new and positive future. Various components are playing roles in this new air of optimism: o The most important is that, despite the fact that its members hold very different perspectives on the world, the government led by Bülent Ecevit is the most stable coalition of the past several years and is continuing to cooperate without any major catastrophes. o Even though PKK leader Abdullah Öcalan received a death sentence, the execution has been postponed. That postponement, coupled with the cessation of PKK terror, has put an almost total end to the tension that had reigned for the past 15 years. o Turkey has had to swallow many quite bitter pills of economic reform within the framework of IMF guidelines, but the sacrifices seem to be paying off, with positive results seen in a very short time. In response, the Turkish business world appears to be becoming much more self-confident. o The thawing of relations with Greece has not only acted to decrease tension in the Aegean but in general relations as well, pointing the way to a possible solution to the Cyprus question and thus easing tensions among the public. The fact that Turkey has now formally begun its candidacy process towards EU membership in such a positive climate has instilled a further air of excitement within Turkish society. Meeting the Copenhagen criteria The revitalization of the forty-year aim to "unite with Europe" means that in the coming years Turkey knows that it is required to accept the Copenhagen criteria, thus starting a process that will finally eradicate the taboos that grew out of the country's former days of terror and tension. This has also provided for an easing and a broadening of the debate about Turkey and the European Union. Turkish officials are acting very realistically. They know that the major barrier to unity with the EU is not so much the economic constraints, but rather compliance with the Copenhagen criteria. It is obvious that achieving this compliance will neither be easy, nor will it take place overnight. After all, the long years of living under the threat of terror have resulted in a very different approach to and implementation of these criteria, especially to those relating to freedom of thought. For years it was believed and accepted to some degree, that full provision of freedom of thought and human rights would increase terrorist acts, spread fundamentalism, and further divide the country. Changing belief systems A basic change of these values that have held sway for the past fifteen years must also be reflected in their implementation. Changing approaches, belief systems, and methods of implementation that have become almost ingrained in the society over the years, is extremely difficult to achieve. It is even more difficult to achieve in a country like Turkey which encompasses a mosaic of very different people who are very suspicious of each other's motives. Essentially, while one segment of the society fully embraces the Copenhagen criteria, another is verbal about its suspicions and fears regarding these criteria. There is a very deep struggle beginning between conservative and liberal approaches to these issues. As societal trust towards Turkish leaders increases, the country's compliance with the Copenhagen criteria will both accelerate and become easier. The most interesting sign is that while many western circles believe that the Turkish Armed Forces represent the strongest obstacle to compliance with the Copenhagen criteria, there are many signs that the military is adopting a quite different approach. The Turkish Planning Authority has prepared a very realistic and extensive list of the steps which need to be taken for compliance with the Copenhagen criteria. And it is very important to note that while a strong negative reaction to this report was expected, the Prime Minister sent a copy of the report to all bureaucrats asking for their input. This in itself demonstrates that the mechanism for change is indeed in effect. Europe must be patient In order to promote compliance to the Copenhagen criteria, the European Union has to be understanding and patient. The EU should not act as a body that is imposing its rule but rather one that is taking a supportive stance as it encourages such compliance. Right now, Turkish society in general sees itself in competition with the EU in political, economic, and social terms. It wants to play in the major league. Galatasary's winning of the UEFA football cup is the first sign that this is happening in the world of sport. The rendezvous with 2004, the year that is often said to be the official date for the start of full candidacy procedures, is being made in such a climate. This rendezvous is extremely important for the country in terms of morale, politics and economics and Turkey must be sure that it doesn't break this date. MEHMET ALİ BİRAND: "TÜRKİYE KOPENHAG KRİTERLERİNE UYUM SAĞLAYABİLECEK Mİş"<ĞB> Türkiye'nin Helsinki zirvesinde AB'ye kesin aday ilan edilmesi sonucunda ülkenin AB ile olan ilişkilerinde bir iyileşme izlenmekte… Eski pesimist görüşünden uzaklaşan kamuoyu artık bu binyılın ilk senelerinin yeni ve olumlu bir gelece¤in kapılarını açaca¤ına inanıyor. Bu optimizme yol açan ana etkenler, Ecevit'in liderli¤inde kurulan koalisyonun son yılların en sa¤lam hükümetini oluşturması, Öcalan'ın idamının ertelenmesi ile birlikte PKK terörünün sona ermesinin son 15 yılda yaşanan gerilime neredeyse tamamen son vermesi, IMF'nin reçeteleri sonucunda ülkenin içmek zorunda kaldı¤ı acı ilaçların olumlu sonuçlar sergilemeye başlaması, ve Yunanistan'la olan ilişkilerin yumuşamaya başlaması üzerine Ege'de gerilimin azalması ve Kıbrıs sorununa çözüm bulma olana¤ının belirmiş olması olarak sıralanabilir. Türkiye'nin 40 yıllık "Avrupa ile birleşme" amacının yeniden canlanması, ülkenin önümüzdeki yıllarda Kopenhag kriterlerini kabullenmesi gere¤inin bilincinde oldu¤unu göstermekte… Gerçekçi bir tutum sergileyen Türk yetkilileri, AB ile birleşmenin önündeki en önemli engelin ekonomik koşullardan çok Kopenhag kriterlerine uyum sa¤layarak aşılaca¤ının farkındalar… Bu kriterlere uyum sa¤lamanın kolaylıkla ve çabucak sa¤lanamayaca¤ı ise çok açık…Türkiye'de düşünce özgürlü¤ü ve insan haklarının tamamiyle sa¤lanmasının terörü tırmandıraca¤ı, irticayı yayaca¤ı ve ülkeyi daha da çok bölebilece¤i kanısı yıllardır belirli ölçüde benimsenmiş bulunmakta… Avrupa, Türkiye'nin Kopenhag kriterlerine uyması konusunda sabırlı, destekleyici ve cesaretlendirici bir tavır takınmalı, Türkiye de tam üyelik prosedürünün başlangıç noktası olaca¤ına inanılan 2004 yılındaki randevuyu kaçırmamalıdır.  Elegans'a mail |
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