| FROM CHIEF | Murat SARAYLI |
| Chairman of the Board of TUGIAD/Confedereration of Young European Businessmen (YES) |
|
THE AGENDA IN TURKEY IS THE EU AND AT THE EU THE AGENDA IS TURKEY |
On the other hand, new situations can emerge from internal dynamics in some of the European countries. Nevertheless, before the presidential elections in France, expected to be held in 2007, the parties seem to be determined to make the membership of Turkey on of the main issues of their election campaign.
The same situation applies also to Germany. Just before the general elections that are to be held on September 18th according to the decision of the German Court of Constitution, the government and the opposition make statements about Turkey and we witness the Social Democrats and the Greens criticizing the Christian Democrats for creating pre-election discussions about the membership of Turkey.
By reason of these, Mr. Abdullah GÜL, Vice-Prime Minister and Foreign Minister of Turkey had to make a statement explaining that the leaders at the EU would be prudent enough in order not to act in a manner to overshadow strategic policies, concerning the whole world, because of some distress they encounter in their local politics.
In any case, it is an important issue that the European Union Commission has declared that Turkey has fulfilled all of its responsibilities for starting with the negotiations with The European Union on October the 3rd. Consequently it is understood that the basic structure of the political decision, to result from the EU Congregation of Permanent Representatives (COREPER) of 31st August, which was not yet realized while this Article was written, as well as from the Foreign Ministers’ meeting to be hosted by the United Kingdom, being the Periodical EU-President, directly after this event on the 1st and 2nd of September, are already prepared.
In short, within the upcoming month, the European Union will attend to the issue of Turkey intensively on its agenda while Turkey will do the same with the issues concerning the EU. It is quite likely that in the upcoming days, some comments in our country on this agenda will be branded as EU-Opponents and other as EU-Supporters. But it is not correct to brand the commenting parties being suppliers of information, as one of the sides’ representatives. In case of such behavior, these views could become quite risky as to convert the negotiations from their path as a technical procedure.
Primarily, it should not be forgotten that the European Union itself is going through a process of changes. Only 3 months have passed since France and Holland have rejected the new European Constitution. By these reasons and aiming at a successful completion of the negotiations procedure by Turkey, political parties and non-governmental organizations should not use the issue of the European Union membership, as a tool for their local political contestations.
In this regard, I would like to emphasize our view, being a precondition for Turkey as well as for the European Union, that the negotiations’ process is carried out in an information focused manner and that we as TUGIAD are well aware of our well received, consistent and realistic position as well as of our responsibilities, to provide for a bright and honorable future of our country.
