sarkozy to obama: mind your own business (turkey)
By American Girl in Italy on April 6, 2009 at 3:45 PM in Barack Obama, European Union, Turkey
Speaking in Prague before his trip to Ankara, Obama pushed for Turkey’s membership into the EU. “The United States and Europe must approach Muslims as our friends, neighbors and partners in fighting injustice, intolerance and violence, forging a relationship based on mutual respect and mutual interests,” Obama told the summit.
“Moving forward toward Turkish membership in the EU would be an important signal of your (EU) commitment to this agenda and ensure that we continue to anchor Turkey firmly in Europe,” he told EU leaders.
Obama’s remarks didn’t sit too well with his new BFF, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, who said in an interview “it is up to member-states of the European Union to decide” on whether Turkey should be allowed to join. Sarkozy is opposed to to membership for Turkey.
“I still am and I think I can say that the immense majority of member states shares the position of France,” he said. “Turkey is a very great country, an ally of Europe, an ally of the United States. It will stay a privileged partner. My position hasn’t changed and it won’t change,” he said.
German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who is also leery about admitting a country that would replace Germany as the EU’s biggest member, said EU members were still “wrestling” over whether Ankara should be welcomed as a full member state or have some sort of “privileged partnership” – a German proposal Turkey has flatly rejected in the past.
The Clinton and Bush administrations supported Turkey’s bid for membership, calling it a crucial bridge between the West and Islam. But, this seems a lot easier to support, when you don’t live so nearby, and it doesn’t affect your borders.
Opposition to Turkey joining the EU range from their “human rights record, including their long campaign against Kurdish separatists, fears of being flooded with Turkish immigrants, and an unresolved dispute over Turkish backed Northern Cyprus.”
“For many Europeans, the cultural and religious differences between Turkey and traditionally Christian Europe are a key worry. While constitutionally a secular state, Turkey’s population is 99 percent Muslim.”
Allowing Turkey to join the EU opens all the European borders to Turkey, and there would no longer be any controls over who comes and goes. And this bothers a lot of Europeans.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi said he backed Obama’s support for EU membership for Turkey, telling reporters he was confident that current obstacles holding back Ankara’s talks with Brussels could be solved.
I must say, I agree with Sarkozy. I don’t feel the US should be involved, or pressuring the EU on who to accept. They are not the ones who have to deal with the end results. To me, it would be the equivalant of Europe telling the US to open up the border with Mexico.
Although he rode in on his unity pony, with his campaign speech loaded on the teleprompter (including the yes we can bit), it seems Obama will have his work cut out for him. There are still many who oppose the US, and their involvement around the world. Protestors in Turkey took to the streets protesting Obama’s visit.
See also: Another NoQuarter story about the protests.
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