A conference at the Press Club, Brussels, hosted by Dialogue for Europe in association with the Ankara-based European Union and Global Research Organisation recently discussed the need, and the means, for strengthening Cooperation in the area of Foreign, Security and Defence Policy between Turkey and the EU.
Keynote speaker at the conference was Polish MEP Ryszard Czarnecki of the European Conservatives and Reformists Group, and Chair of the EU-Turkey friendship group in the European Parliament.
The MEP, who has worked on furthering EU-Turkey relations for many years, highlighted the need to bring EU and Turkish policies in the areas focussed on by the conference.
He focussed largely on the issue of migration – on which Poland is very much on the front line – as an area in which cooperation between the EU and Turkey is becoming a matter of “crucial importance.”
“Having closer cooperation in the areas of security and defence policy can prevent future humanitarian crises like the ones witnessed in Syria and Afghanistan for example,” he said.
The migration crisis of 2015 where more than one million irregular migrants arrived in the European Union revealed differences in the EU member states attitudes, and weakened their solidarity as a result of which sustained attempts to reform the common European asylum system have so far failed… To make up for these failing the EU has focussed on protecting its external borders and cooperating on. The countries of migration origin and transit, in particular Libya, Turkey and Niger, to help them retain, of re-admit migrants.
Mr Czarnecki referred to a European Council conclusion of June 2021 setting out three major elements of work to be done to address external aspects of migration:
- Supporting priority countries of origin and transit;
- Putting forward action plans for priority countries;
- Inviting the European Commission to report on how it intends to make the best possible use of the 10% of Global Europe, the Neighbourhood Development International Cooperation Instrument with a current budget of €79.5 billion, and which covers actions devoted to migration.
The MEP also referred to previous cooperation between the EU and Turkey in this respect, specifically in 2016, which resulted in a “significant decrease” in the loss of lives, and a reduction in the numbers of irregular crossings via Turkey to the EU.
Referring to the fact that Turkey is the EU’s 6th largest trading partner, and a major contributor to Europe’s defence and security as a NATO member since 1952. “These long standing ties should be translated into diplomatic relations between the European Union and Turkey, which have been hampered by recent developments in the eastern Mediterranean. Both the EU and Turkey should seek inclusive and constructive approaches, and avoid unilateral steps when dealing with such sensitive issues… The consequences of isolating a long term partner and ally should be carefully considered by the EU member states.”
Mr Czarnecki regretted that the accession talks between the EU and Turkey had been stalled for several years, especially as in the areas of migration and security, Turkey has been “an indispensable ally for the EU.”
H.E. Ambassador (ret.) Selim Kuneralp, former Permanent Delegate of Turkey to the EU, referred to the high points in the relationship between the EU and his country since 1959 when Turkey first applied to join the European Economic Community (EEC), one of he fore-runners to the EU.
- The completion of the Customs Union in 1995;
- The Helsinki Council of 199, where Turkey was given EU candidate status;
- The decision to commence accession negotiations in 2004.
He lamented, however, the “many downsides” in the relationship to date.
Post-Ottoman Turkey – a founding member of the Council of Europe – began to turn towards the west, with ambitions to modernise, and integration with Europe was seen as the way forward. Indeed, as part of the pre-accession process Turkey had already made great strides in modernising the country’s legal system, bringing its its civil and criminal codes into line with EU norms.
Unfortunately, Selim Kuneralp pointed out, the rejection of a U.N. brokered deal to resolve the ongoing Cyprus problem by the predominantly Greek south of the island, and the subsequent accession of Cyprus to the EU, effectively scuppered the plans.
A stalemate currently exists, but Selim Kuneralp observed out that a majority of the Turkish population remains in favour of accession, however in order to move forward the first steps now need to come from the EU.
Dr. Koert Debeuf, former editor-in-chief of EUobserver, stated that EU-Turkey cooperation in the areas of security and defence is “crucial.”
He noted that whereas the EU has been largely ineffectual, Turkey may well be key to bringing about a ”normalisation” of relations between Armenia and Azerbaijan in the aftermath of the 2020 six-week war between the two in Nagorno-Karabakh during which more than 7,000 died.
Returning to the issue of migration, he pointed out that it is Turkey currently protecting the “free-area” of Syria, thus preventing a wave of migration as citizens flee conflict.
Prof. Dr. Haldun Yalçınkaya, of TOBB Economy and Technology University, Turkey argued that migration and terrorism are “two pillars” that can act as catalyst for either cooperation or conflict between Turkey and the EU.
Amanda Paul, Senior Policy Analyst at the European Policy Centre, Belgium stated that “today Turkey is further away from the EU that it has ever been,” and that there has been a paradigm shift in the way the EU looks at Turkey. She lamented in particular the attitude of French President Macron, and the fact that France appears not even to consider Turkey as an ally, a position she described as “short-sighted, and not very strategic.”
She pointed out that in the face of a possibility of the U.S. “downgrading” its security and defence commitments in Europe, “middle powers,” including Turkey, now become much more important.
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