As integration dream is dashed, Turkey looks at cooperation with Europe

At a time when Turkey’s relations with Europe are believed to be at the lowest level, Ankara stepped up to restore dialogue with the EU with a visit by the Turkish president to France hoping to find a new opportunity to rebuild ties.

Turkey’s membership talks started more than a decade ago and have hit the rocks in the past few years as Europe has been critical of Ankara’s security crackdown after 2016’s failed coup, which saw tens of thousands removed from their jobs, and numerous arrests.

It’s been more than 17 months since the coup attempt, and the Turkish parliament will approve to extend the state of emergency for the sixth time on Wednesday.

“Opening a new negotiation chapter is absolutely impossible with Turkey under the ongoing state of emergency,” an EU official told Xinhua on condition of anonymity.

The European Commission’s annual progress report on Turkey in April is expected to be the hardest ever given the criticism on state of democracy, human rights, rule of law and fundamental freedoms.

EU leaders and Turkish politicians have exchanged accusations mostly due to domestic political consumption. The gap between Turkey and the EU further increased after the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe reintroduced a monitoring process for the country last April.

The block strongly asserts that it would not compromise on the Copenhagen Criteria, but still, they voice significance of “anchoring” Turkey to Europe.

In a surprise move amid frosty ties with the European capitals, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan last week paid his first foreign visit in 2018 to France for a meeting considered as a step toward easing of strained relations with Europe.

Subsequent to talks in Paris, the Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu visited Germany and met his German counterpart Sigmar Gabriel to put ties back on track.

The expectation was positive developments in terms of updating the Customs Union with the EU, if not in membership talks.

A new vision introduced by the President of France Emmanuel Macron to strengthen bilateral ties between Ankara and Paris is expected to have a positive impact on Turkey’s overall integration into Europe, according to Unal Cevikoz, a retired ambassador from Turkish Foreign Ministry. But, Cevikoz is pessimistic about Turkey’s stalled EU bid.

“Currently, the opening of new chapters and the continuation of Turkey’s accession negotiations with the EU does not seem to be on the short-term agenda. Respecting the rule of law, democracy and fundamental rights and freedoms seem to be the key to unlock that impasse,” he said.

“The dialogue between the two sides should perhaps be rethought ... not for membership but cooperation or partnership,” Macron stated at a joint press conference with Erdogan.

“Recent developments and choices do not allow any progress,” Macron said, but noting that they believe that “future of Turkey and Turkish people should be in Europe.”

In this situation, this relationship could be re-considered in the context of cooperation, partnership, not in the integration process, the French leader stated. He noted that Jean-Claude Juncker, president of the European Commission, has been working on this issue.

Macron’s remarks envisage that the full membership negotiations between Turkey and the EU have lost their sense, Sedat Ergin, daily Hurriyet columnist said.

Despite standing still in accession talks for the last few years, membership was the sole objective in defining ties between Turkey and the EU, he noted.