EUROPEUS

EU institutions. In Europe, the European Parliament (EP) is busy preparing its annual report. Last week, the report was adopted in the Committee on Foreign Affairs to be approved at the general assembly on Oct. 22-25. Old reports were so dire that the present report looks brilliant. It doesn't say much but clichés, except urging the European Commission (EC) to be more visible in Turkey and talking the importance of Turkey as a partner in the EU's cooperation with Black Sea and Central Asian countries. There is no vision about how the ice-cold relations could be warmed up again.Elsewhere, the EC is working on its yearly progress report. Continuation of the approach overlooking negativities for two years due to electoral/tactical reasons is hardly sustainable. The EC ought to take notice of negative developments and unimplemented reforms. Furthermore the EC has a bad case of giving a green light to the present Turkish Penal Code's draft in spring 2005 despite a report by the Council of Europe experts on its incompatibility with the European Human Rights Convention's principles. Article 301 and alike were pointed at in that very report which was never made public. Let's recall: Enforcement of this law was one of the two conditions set to begin accession talks in October 2005.In fact, the EC is stuck in a narrow square as the consequence of slow-pace relations due to some hostile EU countries and the reluctance of Turkish governments. Its human and financial resources are inadequate to deal with Turkey. Interest in Europe toward Turkey is at bottom, yet opposition is at high. In Turkey it is impossible to tell the European demands are met despite government's rosy statements. And if the tactical low profile attitude of the last two years is added on top, we can easily understand why the EC's messages are nonevents since sometime now. Today a new vision is needed, not these cheap incentives such as  “The EU accession is a difficult task, but working hard accomplishes it.”As for the governments, we understand from recent statements by European officials from pro-Turkey countries that they cannot determine on a new strategy among themselves. They keep repeating empty encouragements similar to those given by the EP. On the opposite side, Turkey's opponents are quite successful at the stage. The best example of this illusion game is the tale of French President Nicolas Sarkozy's not blocking negotiations anymore. Sarkozy is artful enough to keep the same attitude with different words, but some naives say he is getting mellow. Recently he sent to Ankara his socialist Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner who, before becoming Sarkozy's minister supported Turkey's bid. The minister who is so talented in lulling others did not say a single positive word about our EU process. This is an open-ended process, he said; but let's talk about everything. There again he made some naives happy.

Heartfelt wishes and bitter truths. Despite all these gestures and words here are the deeds:·  Negotiation chapters are opened bit by bit whereas Croatia who started talks the same day two years ago is almost half way in the negotiations.

·  No one is even mentioning the “Direct Trade Regulation” which EU wishes to adopt since Apr. 2004 to relief northern Cyprus but also to pave the way for negotiations. For instance, there was no reference to it in the EP's draft report.

·  Pro-Turkey member countries do not have a common stance against France who is challenging its own signature and thus implicating the whole EU.

·  On Turkish side, number of noteworthy reforms done since Dec. 17, 2004 is “zero”. Relations with the EU institutions are at minimum.

·  Mutual animosity peaks. In Europe, Turkey is directly synonymous with islamophobia. In Turkey, euroskeptics have concerns about “if EU does not take us in the end, would reformist openings terminate the republic?” This is perhaps the deepest questioning leading to the erosion of confidence. In Turkey the government pretends to carry out EU reforms and gains time. There is nothing new. But if EU takes itself and Turkey's accession seriously, it ought to give a strong and clear message, not to tell tales as it does today. “We stand for our signature and would like to see Turkey among us, for instance in 2023. However, in order to reach this objective, Turkey should keep working very hard and country's transformation that started in 1999 should be maintained non-stop.”