Mehmet Y. Yilmaz: EU or not, Turkey will not stray from its path
Güncelleme Tarihi:
There is only a little time left until the European Union summit in mid-December, and there is an absolute explosion now in the western press over worry about Turkey's future within the EU. It now appears that the western press really understands that the real problem with Cyprus derives not from the Turks, but from the Southern Cypriots themselves.
In particular, opinion articles in the British press are leaning this way. Which means that the time is coming for Turkey to make its last attack on Cyprus, and really follow up on a two government-two state solution for Cyprus. But what most interests me in the western press these days are the opinions being expressed about the dangers that will arise from Turkey's being exluded from the EU.
Some writers exaggerate the matter, asserting that Turkey's path will change, and that it will sway onto a "radical Islamic agenda." These are shallow opinions made by people who do not know Turkey very well. Turkey's goals were expressed by its founder as the republic was only just coming together: to be a developed, modern part of western civilization. And keep in mind that at Ataturk's time, there was no EU, nor any organization similiar to it.
There is no reason for anyone to fear: Turkey, whether it enters the EU or not, knows better than anyone that it needs to develop its democracy and protect its secular regime in order to obtain the level of modern civilizations. It will not stray from this path.
The modern people of Turkey will not permit it to stray from this path.