EU Parliament’s decision quite expected for Turkey

By Azernews

By Gunay Hasanova

Despite long going negotiations, the European Parliament on November 24 adopted a non-binding motion urging the European Commission and national governments to temporarily suspend EU accession talks with Turkey.

By 479 votes to 37, with 107 abstentions, lawmakers backed a motion calling on "the Commission and on the Member States to initiate a temporary freeze of the ongoing accession negotiations with Turkey.

The decision was met controversially by both Turkish and European officials.   

Commenting EU Parliament’s decision the Turkish Presidential Administration said that Resolution of the European Parliament on the suspension of negotiations on Turkey's accession to the EU was expected for Ankara, adding that it is a sign of double standards in relation towards Turkey.

The Administration also pointed out that Turkey has repeatedly stated that this decision has no legal binding for Ankara.

"Instead, to block Turkey's path on EU accession, the European Parliament should contribute to the expansion of dialogue between the EU and Ankara,” said the Administration, adding that Turkey has always been committed to democratic value.

President Recep Tayyip Erdogan warned the EU last week to make a decision by year's end on Turkey's membership or he would call a referendum on the matter, adding that Turkey is not constrained to joining the EU and it has other options as well.

In turn, Turkey’s Minister for EU Affairs Omer Celik described the motion as "null and void".

Speaking at a news conference in southern Adana province, Celik said the motion was not "something to be taken seriously".

"We would respect the motion if it was constructive despite being critical [of Turkey]. However, this motion is politically inconsistent,” he said.

Some important Western figures criticized EU Parliament’s decision as well.

Carl Bildt, former Swedish prime minister, said in a Twitter post ahead of the vote: “Obviously, many in European Parliament take a populist short-term rather than strategic long-term approach to relations with Turkey.”

“It would be a strategic stupidity of the first order for the EU to unilaterally abandon its relationship with Turkey.”

Turkey formally applied for an EU member in 1987 and accession talks in 2005, even though Ankara's aspirations to become part of the bloc dates back to the 1960s.

The European Commission has proposed in May that the European Parliament and EU Council will lift visa restrictions for citizens of Turkey if Ankara fulfills the remaining conditions for abolishing visa entries until the end of June.

Despite all ongoing debates on Turkey’s EU membership process, Turkey’s accession to the EU would certainly be an advantageous fact the European Union may benefit.

The Turkish economy is growing and it is a country across which key pipelines deliver large supplies of oil and gas from Asia. Free trade between EU countries is one of the bloc's greatest advantages and granting Turkey membership would create a whole new market for European goods.

Countries hoping to join the European Union are required to achieve a certain standard of democracy and human rights. Since it first applied for membership, Turkey has made some progress on that, including abolishing the death penalty and introducing tougher laws against torture, as well as moderate reforms to help women.

Turkey's geographic position at the crossroads between Europe and the East allows it to provide a much-needed bridge between western and Islamic worlds at a time of heightened tensions between the two. 

The rise of Islamic State in Iraq and Syria has put Turkey at the center of a conflict that has global consequences. Some European officials believe allowing Turkey to become a member of the EU will create a strong ally in the fight against terrorism in the region.

Moreover, the EU has had to rely on Turkey's co-operation as it struggles to cope with the worst refugee crisis. Hence, Turkey would be a good option for the European Union to cooperate on migration influx.

However, Turkish government’s enthusiasm for membership has dwindled after nearly 30 years in the waiting room. Therefore, both sides currently seem to scrap the negotiations altogether due to unresolved issues which most likely won’t be solved very soon.