The First Europe – Turkey Forum that is organized with the cooperation of Turkish Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM) and Instytut Wschodni was taken place in Poland. The Chairman of TASAM Süleyman Şensoy stated in his opening statement that the reforms for full membership that were carried out until 2005 have slowed down after that year and the support of public opinion in Turkey for EU membership has reduced to 50-55 percent from 85 percent especially as a result of some developments in the internal politics of Turkey such as the developments on the issue of Cyprus, words’ not being kept in spite of the achievements of Turkey and TRNC on this matter, Sarkozy’s approach in France and Turkey’s perception of internal security .

According to Şensoy, the demand for the negotiation process to follow a sustainable and trusty route has been insistently mentioned both by authorities and public and the world’s system has been rapidly turning into a multidimensional one after September 11. He said; “We will see that the world will acquire a multipolar shape in coming years. A similar period was experienced in the past and it had took almost 30 years for that order to settle. Considering today’s human sociology and technology’s degree, we can claim that reconstruction might take 15 years.  Supposing that a part of this period has already gone, parameters of a multipolar world will fall into place in the next 8 – 10 years.”

Şensoy designated that countries and international organizations have difficulties in bringing new policies out in this transitional period and he also pointed out that not only the conflict that Russia and Georgia had experienced in the last period but also the global economic crisis should be evaluated in the frame of the complexity based on that aforementioned period. Şensoy emphasized that Turkey’s strategic importance has increased in this process and said: "We expect that a sustainable negotiation period should be finalized with full membership. In case that expectation does not become a fact, we all have to realize that Turkey’s alternative will be again itself."

Member of the European Parliament Adrian Severin stated that EU would not be a global actor unless Turkey becomes an EU member.

In his opinion, EU has to focus on geography, human and natural resources for its future plans and in this respect Turkey’s EU membership seems to be an exam for EU’s identity. Pointing out that EU’s being acknowledged as a Christian unity is not what it is meant to be, Severin said that; “Our cultural identity is being designated by secularism. We respect different cultures and we have to create areas to unite with different religions. Turkey’s integration into the European Union will show how secular is European Union.”

Severin recorded that Turkey might set a cooperation area in the Middle East and Caucasus by focusing on that regions and consequently the European Union might correlate with these regions through the channel of Turkey. He also pointed out the possible challenges of the integration of a highly populated country such as Turkey, and indicated that some solution suggestions must be developed.

-"TURKEY STATED THAT IT WOULD DEVELOP REFORMS ON ITS PRIORITIES”-


In his speech which informs about the history of Turkey’s EU accession period, President of the EU Harmonization Commission of TGNA Yaşar Yakış declared that 12 negotiation topics have been blocked.  He emphasized the fact that Turkey has prepared it’s own route plan in this process and with this route plan, comprising the years of 2007-2013, Turkey has determined which reforms to complete in which order depending on it’s own priorities.

Yakış stated that; “This route plan did not arouse great interest as was expected in Turkey and EU. However through this route Turkey meant that “Whatever you say, I will arrange the reforms on my own priorities and will make my acquis in 100 percent accordance with EU until the end of 2013, but it will all be actuated on my choices."

Expressing that there are some mistakes in the assessment of Turkey’s accession period to the EU, Yakış stated that Turkey’s role in the conflict of civilizations, Turkey’s turning into an energy transition and distribution center, it’s young population and big economy have become prominent factors in this respect. He said that Turkey should be evaluated on its potential future condition and emphasized the importance of Turkey’s possible role on the ambiguity in Iraq, Iran’s nuclear program and the instability in Caucasus.

Yakış stated that he does not feel worried about the negative attitudes of some EU leaders on Turkey’s membership and he emphasized the fact that when Turkey completes its reforms and has a position to become a member of EU, whether these leaders will be still on duty, whether Turkish public will still be willing to become an EU country and what kind of a role Turkey will play in its region as an EU member is today not known for sure.