We keep receiving contradictory information regarding the possibility of Turkey eventually forming part of the EU. What do you think the future holds in this respect?

Turkey’s accession talks commenced formally in 2005. We have heard many a time how they have been dogged by an array of domestic and external problems. A number of EU states have demonstrated reluctance to allow Turkey into Europe, Austria and France come to mind immediately amongst others. This is arguably one of the most controversial bids ever made to the European Union. As you said correctly in your question, there has been a great deal of contradictory information regarding this issue, so I will take this opportunity to make things a bit more clear, and having had the opportunity of forming part of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee, I have followed this issue with great interest.

Let’s start with some facts about Turkey. With a population of over 62 million, it would be the second largest country in the EU after Germany. Geographically speaking, it has been considered part of the European continent at certain instances, but we are also reminded that it has large borders with countries like Iran and Iraq, turbulent and unstable regions. This is a country with an efficient and strong army, and the potential capacity for a strong economy, driven by the forces of low cost manual labour – so much so that it is sometimes referred to as the China of Europe. The population would work out to be about 15% of the entire EU, however the GDP accounts for just 2% of the GDP of EU member states. The birth rate is also much higher when compared to other EU countries. All in all, it is an Islamist country which attempts to fully embrace democratic values, whilst being sandwiched between the East and the West. Turkey is not new to political turbulence, having been marred by military coups for decades.

The economy, the fundamentalism and political instability are all on the list when considering the consequences of Turkey’s potential accession. There is also the issue of integration to European values as well as the effect such a big country would have on the institutional future and cohesion in Europe. The fear of mass immigration, this time not just to Germany, but also to many other member states is also of great concern.

There are also those who argue that there is a large discrepancy between the per capita income of Turks, as well as the huge social divide that exists. Religion is an obvious ongoing issue. The diffidence in Islam is on the increase and the debate of the integration of this culture into European society is becoming more dramatic by opposing factions, and this is perhaps due an increase in extremism. Perhaps the argument that is brought up with most vigour against membership is the occupation of Cyprus. Let us now briefly go through the events as they unfolded.

In 1974, the Turkish military invaded the northern part of Cyprus in response to a coup sponsored by the military junta in Athens. This left Cyrus divided with the north being occupied by the Turks. The north descended into poverty and corruption, whilst the south was more prosperous with the driving forces of tourism and offshore banking. In the 1970s and 1980s UN sponsored talks collapsed and in 1983 the Turkish-held northern part of the island declared itself the ‘Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus’ (TRNC). Relations were therefore practically inexistent, but there was hope in 1992 when UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan presented a reunification plan, which basically proposed a two-part federation with a rotating presidency. In 2004, the Greek Cypriots rejected the UN-sponsored unity plan known as the Annan Plan, whilst the Turkish Cypriots approved it in a referendum, a failure that was considered a major disappointment. In May 2004, the Greek Cypriot-controlled ‘Republic of Cyprus’ became a full member of the EU, perhaps partly in the hope that this accession would encourage a solution to the Turkey/Cyprus problem.

Following a series of debates, Turkey started accession talks in 2005, but in November 2006, the European Commission recommended the partial suspension of talks, pointing at Turkey’s refusal to implement the Ankara Protocol and open its trade to vessels from Cyprus.

The progress report on Turkey which was drawn up in October 2009 basically tells us how Ankara has not really advanced on bilateral relations with the Republic of Cyprus. Turkey’s failure to implement the Additional Protocol of the Association Agreement, and the fact that it has not removed all obstacles to the free movement of goods were highlighted in this report.

I was in the thick of the action when negotiating and promoting European Union membership and I can therefore understand how difficult it may be at times to meet certain criteria. However, these criteria must be met, and serious efforts must be undertaken for things to move forward.

David Casa is a Nationalist MEP