Yalcin Doğan: A view from Madrid: thoughts on Turkey and the EU

And we now find this same Europe, which searches out the effect or the measure of the EU in every decision and stance coming out of Turkey, holding its door half-closed to us.

The announcement that eight main sections of the talks with Turkey are to be shelved for now hit Madrid like a bomb. The Spaniards apparently had no expectations that the EU Commission would make such a suggestion.

For the past three days in Madrid, I come face to face constantly with various theses on the Pope and what would happen if there were no EU. There are even those who believe that if it weren't for the EU, democracy would be in danger. One Spaniard passed on this interesting piece of information to me:

"You were the ones who asked Finland to solve the Cyprus problem in this period. But as the process proceeded, it came to a point that put you in a tight spot."

I was able later to confirm this bit of information through sources in Ankara. As it turns out, it was our Foreign Ministry or Prime Ministerial offices which threw out the idea that Finland should find a solution. Thus, no matter how exactly it took place, this current roadblock with the EU is our own creation.

This is a first

The EU is giving Ankara until December 6 to open air and sea ports to Southern Cypriot trade. And as it becomes more and more clear that Turkey won't take any steps to open these ports, the EU Commission has that it will shelve the eight sections of accession talks with Turkey before December 6 even rolls around. Technically, in order to postpone talks, at least 8 of the 25 member countries need to support such a decision. While there are three or four EU members countries which are ready to break off ties with Turkey at the drop of a hat, finding 8 might be difficult. Among the countries ready now to break ties are Southern Cyprus, the Netherlands, and Austria.

Making it further difficult for countries wanting to slam the door in Turkey's face is that the decision by 8 countries needs to be backed by a vote from all 25 countries. Which means that it is not likely that all of the accession talk sections will be shelved or postponed. Still, this is a serious break on the thin thread of the talks.

In fact, in terms of EU history, it's a first.

Playing with the EU giants

There is a strange set of contradictions here. The games being played by the Southern Cypriots, designed to put Turkey in a difficult position, and to force us into making many concessions, are also creating all sorts of unpleasantness among the giants of the EU. It appears that some of the smaller EU countries, knowning they have the whole EU behind them, are turning their enmities against other countries into international problems. Let's take a look at Poland. Poland has taken such a strong stance against Russia that Putin has even decided to cut back on the natural gas going from Russia to Europe. While the EU is standing in protest, Poland just sits back quietly.

But while the EU puts Poland in its place, after facing the seriousness of the natural gas situation, it does nothing of the same to Southern Cyprus. Because Turkey has no natural gas, nor any similar trump to play.

But these things are never one dimensional or perfectly straight and narrow. There are contradictions. While the 8 sections of talks with Turkey head for the shelf, Southern Cypriot spoiled, capricious behavior is becoming the talk of the EU.

It is no secret that the EU has already began work to try and alter the official decision making mechanism of the organization, in an effort to fix the back and forth nonsense of some of the smaller countries.

These are some of the inner blockages of the EU. But what concerns us now is the blockage that affects us. For the past 7 or 8 years, every December has been full of the same tension and games of footsy with the EU. First it appears the door is closing, then suddenly, the door opens again. These are truly tiresome ebbs and flows.