Austria refuses to budge on Turkey

The Australian ^ | October 03 2005

[knighthawk]

AUSTRIA has pushed the European Union to the brink of a diplomatic crisis by refusing to drop its objections to Turkey's bid to become the first predominantly Muslim nation to be a full member of the European Union.

The Austrian stonewalling pushed Turkey's 40-year campaign to join the EU close to collapse after emergency talks between EU foreign ministers broke up without agreement just hours before entry negotiations were due to start.

Amid frenetic diplomacy and warnings of dire consequences if the EU rejected Turkey, British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw chaired fraught negotiations through the night in an attempt to stop Austria from torpedoing the membership talks.

"It's a frustrating situation, but I hope and pray that we may be able to reach an agreement," Mr Straw said.

Membership talks with Turkey, which were agreed in principle last December, had been due to start at a special ceremony yesterday, beginning a process that is expected to take 10 years.

The deadline for an agreement to begin the talks passes overnight, Australian time.

Failure to start the talks on time would only deepen an EU crisis triggered by French and Dutch voters' rejection of the bloc's draft constitution in May and June. Opposition to Turkey's EU hopes was one reason the constitution was voted down.

Austria has demanded that Turkey be offered a "privileged partnership" as an alternative to full membership, an offer that Turkey has made clear is unacceptable. Although Austria stands alone on the issue, it has the power of veto.

In a final attempt to change Austria's mind, British Prime Minister Tony Blair telephoned Austrian Chancellor Wolfgang Schussel, and Mr Straw held repeated meetings with Austrian Foreign Minister Ursula Plassnik, warning her of serious consequences if the EU rejected the Muslim country.

Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan also phoned Mr Schussel to try to reach a deal.

Mr Erdogan told Turkish television: "Either the EU will decide to become a world force and a world player, which would show its political maturity, or it will limit itself to a Christian club."

Failure to secure the start of Turkey's entry into the union would be humiliating for Mr Blair, who made it one of the priorities of his six-month presidency of the EU.

Ms Plassnik refused to bow under the pressure of being confronted by all her fellow EU members.

"We are not afraid of difficult situations," she said. "There are limits, and we are about to explore them now."

Opponents of Turkish membership claim that the country is too big, too poor and too culturally different to join the EU. With the EU in crisis over the rejection of its constitution by French and Dutch voters, they claim that it is not capable of absorbing the Muslim country.

Before the talks, Mr Straw gave warning about the effect it would have on relations between Islam and the West if Austria wielded its veto: "This is a crucial meeting for the future of the European Union. We're concerned about a so-called clash of civilisations.

"We are concerned about this theological-political divide, which could open up even further the boundary between so-called Christian-heritage states and those of Islamic heritage. The heavy responsibility rests on all member states."

In Ankara, Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul huddled with his advisers awaiting news that Austria had ceded ground.

Despite its EU ambitions, Turkey has threatened to turn its back if Vienna gets its way.

AFP, AP, The Times

[GOPJ]

Thanks for the ping.

[Alter Kaker]

I say Islamic Turkey is not to be trusted. Turkey can show some good faith by returning St. Sophia to it's original builders but that will never happen.

Turkey should return Hagia Sophia when Spain returns the Alhambra.

[Major_Risktaker]

Turkey should return Hagia Sophia when Spain returns the Alhambra.

Good deal, who should receive the Alhambra?

[Republic of Texas]

How did the US get into the EU?

[Alter Kaker]

Good deal, who should receive the Alhambra?

I'm not sure, but it's obvious the Hagia Sophia needs to go to the Byzantine Emperor, wherever he is.

[Grzegorz 246]

And your point is... ?

[Conservomax]

For one, it will keep Muslims in Europe.

[Grzegorz 246]

"The euro-racists have had them jumping through hoops with the promise of EU membership for decades now, and the Turks have done nothing but ask "how high?"."

Exactly.

[Grzegorz 246]

"Any EU member state that holds a referendum on Turkish accession will reject it by a supermajority"

Really ? I don't think so.

[Stultis]

Really ? I don't think so.

I'm not so sure. You've got the fact that Turkey is still largely a developing nation, you've got the fact that it's citizens are relatively dark skinned, you've got the fact that it's Muslim, you've got the fact that it has a (relatively) strong and effective military, and you've got the fact that it's an ally of Israel.

So many converging European bigotries are triggered here...

[Grzegorz 246]

I know It, but in many new EU members over half of population support membership for Turkey, so I didn't agree with "any" and "supermajority".

[thepainster]

I can see geography is not your strong suite.

Turkey is in both Europe and Asia, bridged by the Bosphorus straight.

[knighthawk]

Too bad they gave in :(

[knighthawk]

I added you to the list.

[Enchante]

The fact that around 3% of the land area of Turkey is on the European side of the straights is irrelevant to my point. Why do you think that tiny sliver of land and population makes Turkey 'European'?? In population, culture, and history Turkey is most obviously NOT European. Bringing Turkey into the EU means massive agricultural subsidies to what will now be one of the poorest EU nations and further pushing the EU in a direction which is the opposite of what they should be doing.

[Grzegorz 246]

Should Turkey join the EU? YES - white NO - red


Should Ukraine join the EU? YES - tan NO - blue


srednia UE - average EU
Austria - Austria
Belgia - Belgium
Cypr - Cyprus
Czechy - Czech Rep.
Dania - Denmark
Estonia - Estonia
Finlandia - Finland
Francja - France
Grecja - Greece
Hiszpania - Spain
Holandia - Holland
Irlandia - Ireland
Litwa - Lithuania
Luksemburg - Luxemburg
Lotwa - Latvia
Malta - Malta
Niemcy - Germany
Polska - Poland
Portugalia - Portugal
Slowacja - Slovakia
Slowenia - Slovenia
Szwecja - Sweden
Wegry - Hungary
Wielka Brytania - Great Britain
Wlochy - Italy

[A. Pole]

They should. The euro-racists have had them jumping through hoops with the promise of EU membership for decades now, and the Turks have done nothing but ask "how high?".

If you like Turkey so much, why don't you move there?

[apro]

Vienna--September 11, 1683
Smyrna--September 11, 1922
New York--September 11, 2001

Quiz:
How are these dates connected?

[apro]

[quote]I'm not so sure. Much of Greece isn't anywhere near as developed: culturally, economically, politically as Turkey.[quote]

Are you kidding me? They own most of the banking systems in the Balkans and rank among the top 5 shipping powers in the world. Greek business alone created over thousands of job in many Balkan countries. The UN Human Development Index (HDI) which measures the poverty, literacy, education, life expectancy, and other factors for countries worldwide ranks Greece among its top 30 developed countries.

Greece - ranked 24
Cyprus - ranked 29
Turkey - ranked 94

[apro]

[quote]In my view, for Turkey to join, some way will have to be found so that not a single EU nation votes on approving membership, because I think the voters of every single EU nation will reject Turkey easily.[quote]

If that vote falls on the general population of the Europeans, there is no way Turkey would gain membership.

"Europeans Reject Turkey, Poll Shows"

Turkey's campaign to join the EU suffered a blow yesterday when a survey found that only just over a third of Europeans back its membership.
http://www.buzzle.com/editorials/7-18-2005-73356.asp

The politicians on the other hand, are another story.