France, Asia Minor and mind minor

Journal of Turkish Weekly ,Saturday, 22 September 2007        Français

Sedat Laciner

The French President Nicholas Sarkozy once again repeated the necessity of not to accept Turkey to the European Union (EU). Sarkozy said “I do not believe that Turkey belongs in Europe, and for a simple reason, which is that it is in Asia Minor. What I wish to offer Turkey is a true partnership with the Europe; it is not integration with Europe.”

Sarkozy’s statements firstly mean that France is a country who does not show loyalty to its promises because none of the French presidents from 1959 to the presidency of Sarkozy did not claim that Turkey does not belong to Europe. Even the French kings and emperors in the past clearly accepted that the Turks are part of the European political system. Like all other EU members, France also gave full integration promise to Turkey who applied to the EU – the EEC at that time- in 1959. Moreover, this promise was given not orally but also written, and by means of treaties again and again (Ankara Treaty, Additional Protocol, Customs Union Treaty etc.). Turkey is not a country who applied to the EU recently. Its application has been laid on the table for 57 years. Sarkozy must the most genius one among the former seven French presidents, several prime ministers and ministers of France up to now, so he is the first who realized that Turkey is not part of the Europe continent. In brief, Mr. Sarkozy must remember that he is a president of a state, and states are not respected by other states and peoples if they do not respect to their given promises and signed agreements. It is the principle of ‘pacta sunt servanda’ which Mr. Sarkozy breaches. Pacta sunt servanda is the first and sine qua non principle of international relations, civil law and international law and according to the principle “every treaty in force is binding upon the parties to it and must be performed by them in good faith.”

Turkey, according to the EU laws, is legally a European country. This simple fact has been confirmed many times by the EU bodies, members and agreements.

As for the issue of taking Turkey as an Asian, there is also a strangeness: The EU deems the South Cyprus, located in the south of Turkey, and at least 600 kilometers east from the very west point of Turkey, as Europe, then accepted it to the EU with full membership in 2004. Similarly, Southern Caucasian countries in the east of even the very east point of Turkey are considered also as European countries by the EU. France for instance sees Armenia as European country. It is beneficial to remind that the north western neighbors of Turkey, Bulgaria and Greece, are already EU members. Namely, whereas the east, west, south and north of Turkey can be taken as the lands of Europe continent, yet Turkey is counted as an Asia (!). To tell the truth, this rationale is baseless and difficult to understand.

Lastly, Sarkozy should be asked: If you see Turkey only as Asia Minor, in which continent is one of the biggest cities of Europe, Istanbul, located on? In which continent do you insert the Marmara Region which forms more than half of the Turkey’s economy? Or is it the real intention of France to make Turkey only an Asia Minor country by giving Istanbul and Thrace region to a truly European nation?

slaciner@gmail.com

Trnslt. by Mihriban Demir (USAK)