| Europe is not just a geographical concept, "but
an economic, political and civilizational unit," argued Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, Chairman of the AK Parti, Turkey. This view had
some powerful support: not only from Grigory
A. Yavlinsky, Member of the State Duma; Leader, Russian Democratic
Party Yabloko, Russian Federation, but also from Aleksander Kwasniewski,
President of Poland, which expects to join the European Union in
2004.
Patrick Cox, President of the European Parliament, Brussels,
saw the present stage of the EU enlargement process as "a
win-win situation" for all 10 new countries expected to enter
next year. "What we are engaged on is building blocs rather
than stumbling blocs." A new energy had been injected into
the expansion process, "because there is now a recognition
that we need to change to build the new Europe." But the
boundaries question is also a values question. As an applicant
member, can Turkey match up to those values?
Over 60% of Russians are eager to join the new Europe, said Yavlinsky.
Europe’s real boundaries are on Russia’s southern
frontiers with one of the world’s least stable region, so
EU security cooperation with Russia would be in its own interest.
"Russia inevitably will be part of the political, economic
and security systems of Europe within 10-15 years from now."
But the door to Europe is in Washington, he said. "In order
to have a dialogue on integration with Europe, Russia has to have
good relations with the United States." Russian politicians
who try to play on differences between the Americans and the Europeans
over Iraq are making a mistake because, in the end, the EU’s
prime concern is its relationship with the US.
Kwasniewski noted that EU expansion will create the largest integrated
group of countries in the world, "Ten new countries offer
a huge chance for Europe. We can use the energy of this new community
to make the EU stronger in the world both politically and economically."
However, the integration process is not finished. The EU must
next look about Ukraine, Russia and Turkey. European countries
are increasingly multinational, and with immigration Poland will
also move in that direction. But there are not enough European
visionaries today - "a lack of politicians with a positive
approach and a willingness to engage."
Louis Schweitzer, Chairman and Chief Executive Officer, Renault,
France, agreed that Turkey should join. "It has long been
a part of European culture and civilization." Expansion will
lead to a strengthening of European institutions, but some members
may want to limit participation to sharing growth and prosperity.
Erdogan said Turkey "will prove to be a model of how Islam
and democracy can be together" and its admission "will
change the view of Islamic countries of the EU." By accepting
Cyprus, the EU had admitted that it is not a geographic union.
There should be no concern for the role of the military now that
political stability has been established with one party holding
a strong majority in the Turkish parliament. But the EU still
has to establish its cultural identity.
Asked by a participant for his views on Iraq and the possibility
of war, Erdogan said Turkey paid a huge price - in economic devastation
and an upsurge of terrorism - for its support of the international
coalition in the 1991 Gulf War. "Our approach to Iraq is
not religious. We approach it from the viewpoint of international
law. We want peace to be globalized." But Turkey is against
authoritarian regimes anywhere. "We are in favour of democracy
and a secular state where there is an equal law for everyone."
Turkey hopes the Iraq issue "will be solved with peace because
we don’t want to see killing and blood in the world anymore."
Summing up the discussion, session Chair Theo Sommer, Editor-at-Large,
Die Zeit, Germany, said the message from all panellists is that
the process of building Europe "is a glass half full rather
than half empty". It is a "work in progress".
See also:
Russia-EU
relations
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