To their European friends from the Turkish people
Dear friends,
We read your declaration published in the International Herald Tribune on May 16 and have grasped the “unambiguous” message you sent us in these indeed “fraught” circumstances. We have also appreciated your call on the European governments “to reaffirm the promises and commitments that the EU has made in the past.”
In the meager time left after going over French President Nicholas Sarkozy’s bouquet of peerless statements objecting to Turkey’s full membership, we also managed to read the op-ed by the EU term president Germany’s Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier in the daily Milliyet. As you will remember well, therein he called on the respective parties for further cooperation on the basis of “a strong will and mutual trust.”
But we have objections to your assertions:
Lack of trust
First of all, Steinmeier’s piece reminded us of what the great German philosopher Friedrich Nietzsche once said: “I am not upset that you lied to me, I am upset that from now on I cannot believe you.” That the negotiations with us were to be an “open-ended process, the outcome of which cannot be guaranteed beforehand” was extremely repulsive for us. We believed, nevertheless, that we could overcome suspicions in the course of time. The only thing we expected was a sign of good will that would also help us believe in your sincerity.
Let’s leave aside the suggestions regarding “special” forms of relationship and/or membership and take only the controversial Cyprus issue as the case study. You mention on nearly every occasion that Turkey’s opening of its ports to southern Cypriot vessels is a legal commitment. As the man on the street in each country does around the globe, nevertheless, we do not care about legal commitments. We are convinced by actions rather than ornamented diplomatic or legal texts, the existence of which we are not even aware of. We simply look at what you had promised us and the eventual result. In that regard, do you honestly and sincerely believe you have kept your promise regarding the isolation of Cypriot Turks? Is it realistic to expect us to still believe in your sincerity for a just solution on the tiny island of Cyprus?
A mere elite co-optation
Secondly, we feel bitterly disappointed by your insistence on showing solidarity merely with Turkish “democrats” to keep the membership process on track. Friends, you unfortunately seem to have failed to understand who your real audience is in Turkey! Due to your insistence on a narrow elite co-optation in dealing with this country, the gap between ourselves is in fact widening with each passing day. We humbly urge you to attempt to obtain a greater overall understanding of Turkey. To start with, please sincerely ponder the level of interaction between us, the ordinary Turks, and our intellectuals you are so enthusiastic about working with.
Like some of our beloved intellectual compatriots, the negative impacts of “revolutions from above,” or “social engineering” are phenomena you believe have frequently marked Turkish history. By doing so, do you not think that you too are falling into the same trap?
Democracy versus instability
Thirdly, we understand your sensitivity to democratic norms in this country. Please do not endlessly tell us that democracy is good. We know that. But we have right now other concerns to deal with. Do you actually understand what Napoleon meant in asserting, “A man will fight harder for his interests than for his rights”?
Equally important is the fact that we have come to doubt your notion of democracy. A short while ago, Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn reportedly said that the “EU cannot be held responsible for the rise of nationalism in Turkey.” We strongly disagree with him. Suffice to say that the EU right now is associated with the notion of instability in this country. At a time when the repercussions of radical changes on sensitive issues have eventually started to affect our daily life, the majority of our friends link the recent rise in bloody terrorist assaults by the Kurdistan Workers’ Party (PKK) to the democratic reforms the EU have “imposed” on us. They accuse certain EU circles of having a biased attitude towards Turkey. There are even figures who believe that these circles are supporting the terrorists.
Please do not make the same mistake some of our beloved compatriots are doing nowadays and simply blame the impact of an “invisible hand” on such perceptions. Instead, you should help us convince those who think likewise that such assumptions are wrong. You should help us stop PKK terror, before it becomes too late.
Is it all up to us?
Last but not least, we really respect your efforts to appeal to us but would appreciate it more if you kept trying to appeal to the EU public as well. Let’s elaborate together on who, among the European elites, has been more outspoken so far, without considering whether Turkey should, or should not, become an EU member. Are they or are you responsible European public leaders? Not at all. It is rather such figures as Sarkozy who are reported widely in the media on both sides. It is they who influence the EU public’s perceptions.
This being said, we expect you to spend at least an equal amount of time on convincing the EU citizens that our full membership also serves their interests! We really do not deny the critical value of our performance. But Turkey’s efforts alone to overcome popular suspicions and opposition to its membership are obviously not enough. In fact, the way you choose to present Turkey and its performance to your public is as important as Turkey’s own initiatives. After reading his op-ed again in Turkish daily Milliyet, we particularly call on Tony Blair, in his words “a friend of Turkey and a supporter of Turkey’s membership,” to conserve his energy for writing such pieces to be published specifically in the British media.
Dear friends,
We have run out of patience and are becoming more disgusted with each passing day. We are tired of endless conditions by those who simply aim to daunt us. Inevitably, this leads to political extremism in Turkey and a radicalization of Turkish politics. Nationalist sentiments are running high. Whether our doors will be closed to each other forever is right now in your hands.
But from now on, you have to work as hard as you are expecting us to do.