Word: turkeys
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...European horizons keep getting pushed back, Turkey has moved to build up its relationships in the Middle East. The country is a transit route for Europe-bound natural gas from Central Asia. And it has forged alliances with Syria, Iraq and even Iran (after the contested June elections, Turkey was one of the first countries to congratulate President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad on his victory...
...exactly these initiatives that could make Turkey even more valuable for the E.U., which is trying to boost its clout in the Middle East. "The E.U. is losing leverage in Turkey, just as Turkey is becoming a real regional power," the report says. "There is no other country whose leaders can and do travel so often between capitals as varied as Moscow and Damascus, Tehran and Jerusalem, and be received with respect and be able to advocate important policy goals so widely." (See pictures of Obama in Turkey...
...More than anything, though, the report urges the E.U. to reaffirm an honest commitment to Turkey's eventual membership. It says the attraction and support of the E.U. has been a vital locomotive as Turkey tries to modernize and reform: "Turkey-E.U. convergence is a positive process that has done much evident good for both sides and it is this virtuous circle that must be re-established...
...biggest obstacle remains public opinion. A poll last year revealed that only 31% of Europeans back Turkish membership and in the June European Parliament elections Turkey proved a popular punching bag for parties looking to gain votes, with candidates pledging to veto the country's membership. The current economic downturn is another factor, making the E.U. reluctant to take on another country struggling under recession. "The economic crisis has certainly made things worse in Europe," says Sevket Pamuk, professor of Turkish Studies at the London School of Economics. "For membership to occur, Turkey needs to change, but the current political...
...Independent Commission on Turkey report says E.U. leaders should start by challenging popular prejudice, instead of pandering to it. For an example of how popular opinion can change it includes a revealing statistic from the past: in 1954, 51% of French people told pollsters that they had a negative view of the German people and only 29% thought a Franco-German alliance would work. Now, both those countries are standing together in the way of a similar deal with Turkey...