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| Turkey & EU In December 1999, Turkey became the European Union’s (EU) first candidate for full membership with a predominantly Muslim population. For the first time, Turkey participated as a full member candidate at the EU summit in Nice in December 2000. Straddling Europe and Asia, Turks have always attached great importance to relations with Europe. Turkey began “westernizing” its economic, political and social structures in the 19th century. Following the First World War and the establishment of the Republic in 1923, Western Europe was the model for its new secular democracy. As a founding member of the United Nations as well as the OECD, a member of NATO and the Council of Europe, and an associate member of the Western European Union, Turkey’s vital role in the defence of Europe is undeniable. To extend this role into the economic realm, Turkey applied for full membership of the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1959, less than a year after the organization was established. This application resulted in the 1963 Association Agreement envisaging Turkey’s gradual integration and eventual full membership into the EEC. Turkey then became the longest standing associate member of the EU, the EEC’s successor. In 1987, Turkey applied for full membership to the EU on a direct track, different from the process outlined in the Association Agreement. The EU did not give a definitive response to this application, citing internal reforms, which it was undertaking at the time. Meanwhile, the Turkey-EU relations developed and a Customs Union, which had been foreseen as the final step before Turkey’s full membership, was completed in 1995. After the fundamental transformations in Europe brought about by the fall of the Communist bloc, the EU embarked on a new enlargement process toward Central and Eastern Europe. Turkey immediately indicated its keen interest to be included in this enlargement process, but was omitted from a list of eleven candidates in 1997. Instead, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Poland, Slovenia and “Cyprus” became candidates. This situation, to which Turkey protested strongly, has been remedied with the EU’s decision last December to make Turkey a candidate for membership. The United States strongly endorsed EU membership for Turkey, and lobbied intensely in this effort. Already a member of the EU, Greece dropped its objection, providing the required unanimous approval. A stable, flourishing Turkey benefits Europe and the U.S. as well as Turkey. Turkey’s EU candidacy will pave the way for a series of additional changes, economic and political as Turkey strives to align its economy and laws with those of the EU. |
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