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It is a well known fact that the countries members of the European Union and Turkey have started quite a long time ago. For the recent years one of the most discussed questions is the possibility of joining of Turkey to European Union: “Today membership in Europe has come to be seen, in Turkey, as the conclusion of a process of modernization that has lasted almost a century, and as an essential opportunity to address important issues for the country more impartially, issues such as Islamism or movements toward autonomy. In Turkey, debate takes place over the validity, the advantages, and the problems created by the necessity of making important constitutional reforms requested by the Union. Another question is the effect of entry into the Union on the structure of the armed forces – today the institution most highly regarded by the population – and how the system, which has guaranteed the country’s security since its foundation, will change. These are quite obviously themes which, given the geostrategic position of Turkey become extremely important for the security of the whole continent” (Giovanni Bertolone, 2007, p. 6). The negotiation process between the countries was opened and closed several times and it should be noted that the question among the most contradictory ones. But there exists the whole row of the reasons, why Turkey is better to become a member of the European family: among them are strategic and diplomatic ones: the security question is one of the most significant among the discussed strategic questions. Some analysts consider that increasing of the European standards in Turkey would help to avoid the break of this country with the western values (it should be noted that this idea has become quite popular for the recent years in Turkish society): “On the other hand, the hard-line nationalist and Islamist politicians, who always viewed the EU as an unwelcome influence on the Turkish way of life, can now move towards the 3 November elections reinforced in their EU hopes Turkey will continue reforms after November elections convictions. The European Commission has recommended that 10 countries – mainly from eastern Europe but including Cyprus – can join the European Union by 2004. But the report says Turkey needs to carry out further political reforms before it can start talks on accession” (David Bamford for BBC News, 2002). It goes without saying that the core question this is assistance of the Turkish government to provide certain assistance in integration of the Turkish immigrants, who live or work in E. U. into the European Society. It is a well known fact that they are just physically present in European countries, without becoming a part of it. This report would examine the Turkish and European relations for the recent years and provide reasonable investigation on the question whether Turkish membership in European Union would increase European security or not. As it was mentioned earlier the question is among the most contradictory ones, and there are a number of European leaders, who are against Turkish membership in Euro Union that is why the question needs detailed examination.
Historical, Cultural and Political Background of Turkish – European Relations.
Yet in the 1964 Turkey ratified the Association Agreement with European Union and it was promised an opportunity once to join economic – political organization of 6 European countries (at that times). Since then the organization changed its name several times and the present day European Union was created; it has passed through the several waves of enlargement its territory, but it should be noted that this enlargement passed by Turkey, without significant influence of the country. Only in 1999 this country had obtained the status of potential candidate to join the European Union and the final decision on this question was postponed and changed several times, meeting the opposition of members of the Union, insisting on the fact that Turkey is not ready for joining such a serious organization.
There could be mentioned a number of reasons for such development of the question and many of them could be closely connected with the internal situation in Turkey itself. For a long period of time the country was governed by the military leaders and the governmental institutions are far from the European standards, the national minorities were not recognized for quiet a long period of time, there was years lasting internal conflict, in which Turkish military forces and security organizations were opposed to Kurdish rebels.
The strategic factors could be also mentioned among the significant preventive issues that impacted the development of Turkish question within European Union. The majority of the Turkish territories lie on the Asian continent and joining the European Union Turkey, with its 60 – million population becomes not only the heavyweight within the European Union, but broaden the borders of the Union up to the very dangerous and highly explosive the Middle East. The same time the constant arguments between Greece and Cyprus, which are already the members of European Union and dealing with the territorial and the demarcation of the sea borders in the Aegean Sea. The Cyprus question is also among the most significant problem, the northern part of the island is inhabited by the Turks – Cypriots and since 1974 is occupied by the Turkish Army. The regulatory negotiations did not reach success and Cyprus problem is still left unsolved and in the present day situation, whnmnn6en Cyprus is already the country member of European Union, it has sharpened the question: “The secular Turkish establishment had been seeking close association with the European family for four decades now, but seem little nearer to achieving their goal. They hoped to use the issue of divided Cyprus as a bargaining chip in the negotiations, but the draft EU recommendations make clear that Cypriot membership is firmly disengaged from that of Turkey” (David Bamford, 2002)
Another significant preventive factor is the fact that the majority of Turkish population are belonging to Islamic confession. Even Turkey is a republic – one of few secular Islamic countries in the world, it would bring into generally Christian European Union definitely different mental understanding, manner of thinking and that is very important question.
But it should be noted that Turkish government is eager to commit all the necessary changes and make the Turkey worth entering European Union. The government promoted significant internal reforms, which were aimed on making the country’s legislation and everyday practice correspond to the norms and criteria set by European Union. The parliament reduced the capital punishment at the peacetime (in fact it was not used since 1984 and it was even spread on the caught and subjected to the capital punishment the leader of Kurdistan Workers Party Abdullah “Apo” Öcalan, who headed the military opposition of the Kurds against the Turkish government, in the result of which during the 15 years nearly 30 thousand people died). Television broadcasting and teaching on the Kurdish language was permitted (earlier even listening a song on Kurdish language could be treated as committing a crime, which was equal to assistance the terrorism). Additional reforms were provided in the field of creation of organizational social unions, manifestation and freedom of speech were significantly increased. The government also promised to provide effective measures in order to prevent illegal immigration in the European Union Countries.
Every of these solutions could be called really revolutionary solutions for Turkey, especially rejection from the capital punishment and legalization of the Kurdish language. It should be noted that not so long ago, in 2000 year, the Turkish government ratified political program, which would prepare the country for joining the European Union. But on the thousand pages of this program, there was not even a slight mention of the word Kurd or Kurdish. “The far right’s success is ominous for Turkey’s restive Kurdish minority. The party is fiercely opposed to any compromise with autonomy-seeking Kurdish factions. There was consolation for Kurds as a Kurdish nationalist party won several mayors’ posts in the south- east. But the People’s Democracy Party (Hadep) failed to secure the expected gains in its national vote” (Justin Huggler, 1999), that is a perfect illustration of the Kurdish minority raise.