EU Membership for Turkey: Endless Negotiations?

German-American Issues (AICGS) No. 16, May 2014, 32 p.
The American Institute for Contemporary German Studies ~ Johns Hopkins University

Joshua W. Walker, Nilgün Arisan Eralp, Rana Deep Islam

More than ten years after the EU initiated negotiations for Turkey’s EU membership, the country remains locked in negotiations, with economic concerns, human rights, and the Cyprus issue looming large. Turkey is an essential country in the West’s relations with the Middle East and is a key NATO ally.  Germany, as a leader in the EU with a sizable population of Turkish descent, is an integral player in the EU’s enlargement policy toward Turkey and the two countries share deep ties.  Indeed, German President Joachim Gauck’s recent visit to Turkey shows the close educational and cultural connection between the two countries.  At the same time, his criticism of Turkish democracy and freedoms highlights the challenges still facing the country and has sparked tensions between Ankara and Berlin.  The United States is also invested in Turkey’s relationship with Europe, emphasizing the need for Turkey to be integrated into Western institutions as a model for an Islamic democracy in its larger neighborhood, in addition to its value as a strategic NATO partner. But Washington is also concerned about Turkey’s recent domestic turbulences. This publication offers insights into the Turkish-German-U.S. relationship, and assesses the prospect of Turkey’s EU membership.

 

« Turkey and the EU : A “Unique Partnership” », by Nilgün Arisan Eralp, pages 7-13

« A Fresh Start is Needed: Fostering Turkish Membership Within a Renewed EU Enlargement Set-Up« , by Rana Deep Islam, pages 15-23

« Defining the Relationship: EU-Turkey Relations as Seen from Washington« , by Joshua W. Walker, pages 25-32

 

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