EU Enlargement - Analysis about magazine and newspaper articles [5A]
F. Contin - from The Economist - Special Report : Turkey and the EU - Article 1 - Why Europe Must Say Yes to Turkey
ARTICLE: Why Europe must say yes to Turkey
SOURCE: The Economist, September 18th 2004
TOPIC DISCUSSED: the article speaks about the problem of Turkey’s entry in the EU. It shows the risks and the most important points of disagreement, as size, poverty, geographical position and religious difference. In the end the article explains the pros and cons of Turkey’s entry.
CONTENT: the article starts with the question: “Should the European Union open membership talks with Turkey?”. It implies the entry of Turkey in the EU. In the past it was impossible for its“political and economical instability”, for “the interfering role of its army” and for “a record of human-rights abuses”, but in 2002 Mr Erdogan[1] started to promote some reforms to meet “Copenhagen criteria”. This is an important step to Turkey admission.
In the second paragraph the risks of EU are illustrated . First of all Turkey’s size, as a matter of fact it would be the biggest member. Besides the entry will modify the European balance, but “there is no logic to barring a country because it is big”. Secondly the problem of poverty: Turkey is a very poor country and his GDP[2] is only 29% of the EU. The risk of migration scares the rich members but “the Turks say they are not looking for copious hand-outs: they want foreign investment”. The third question is its geographical position but the EU’s treaties do not establish physical boundaries and so the question does not represent a great problem. The last and the most important point of disagreement is the cultural and religion difference. As a matter of fact Islam is considered incompatible with a liberal democracy. On the contrary, in Turkey the media are free and lively, parliament has noisy and open debates and there is a thumping majority at the govern. So Islamist roots do not seem top be so important, even if certain rules, as the plan to criminalise adultery, must be changed to entry in the EU.
The last paragraph tells that Turkey is a good test-case to create relationship with the Middle-East concluding that “if Turkey becomes part of the European club, it would serve as beacon to other Muslim countries that are treading, ever so warily, down the path to freedom and democracy”.
PROBLEM RAISED: the main problem is Turkey’s entry in the Union. The article tells about European main fears.
POSSIBLE SOLUTION: the solution posed is to say yes to the entry, because there are not real problems but only fears growing from ignorance.
PERSONAL COMMENT: I’m agree with the article’s content because I think that the EU can overcome problems and fears and can help Turkey’s poverty. If the Union resolves the problems, Turkey’s entry will improve European economy. So I think we must say yes to Turkey.
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[1] Turkish Prime Minister, leader of Justice and Development party
[2] Gross Domestic Product, the total value of all goods and services produced in a country in one year