Beyond alignment to European norms
Güncelleme Tarihi:
Hürriyet Daily News
Oluşturulma Tarihi: Haziran 05, 2009 00:00
ANKARA - The potential accession of Turkey to the European Union has to be considered as an issue of historical opportunity to be carefully studied, the head of the EU Commission here said late Wednesday.
"Turkey’s stability and modernity are in the EU’s strategic interest and at the same time European standards have come onto the Turkish citizens’ agenda," Marc Pierini said at a ceremony held in the French Embassy on the occasion of his reception to France’s Order of the Legion d’Honneur. French Ambassador Bernard Emi decorated Pierini on behalf of the French President Nicholas Sarkozy.
At a time when Turkey’s full membership has become a matter of discussion in France and Germany once again, Pierini, while expressing his own views, said a multi-polar debate is underway in this country.
"What will be the point of equilibrium for this debate for Turkey? Which Turkish social groups will want to merge with the EU? What will be the harmony between secularism and religion? What will Turkey contribute to the European Union integration process? The perception of the answers to these questions will be fundamental for Turkey’s accession, way beyond the mere alignment to European norms and standards," he said in his speech.
For Pierini, the Turkey’s accession will put Europe in a tough situation with a crucial choice between "Europe as a power" or "Europe as a region."
"This choice probably does not have to be made in the near future, but the process leading to such a choice has, in and of itself, a singular virtue: that of helping Turkey modernize," he said. "This is, in my own view, the historic question that lies before Turks and Europeans, linked as they are by geographical continuity and many common interests."
At a time when Turkey’s full membership has become a matter of discussion in France and Germany once again, Pierini, while expressing his own views, said a multi-polar debate is underway in this country.
"What will be the point of equilibrium for this debate for Turkey? Which Turkish social groups will want to merge with the EU? What will be the harmony between secularism and religion? What will Turkey contribute to the European Union integration process? The perception of the answers to these questions will be fundamental for Turkey’s accession, way beyond the mere alignment to European norms and standards," he said in his speech.
For Pierini, the Turkey’s accession will put Europe in a tough situation with a crucial choice between "Europe as a power" or "Europe as a region."
"This choice probably does not have to be made in the near future, but the process leading to such a choice has, in and of itself, a singular virtue: that of helping Turkey modernize," he said. "This is, in my own view, the historic question that lies before Turks and Europeans, linked as they are by geographical continuity and many common interests."