Turkey and an EU rethink
Luckily, Austria has come down from its high horse and removed its last minute objections to negotiations for Turkish membership in the EU. Now, the negotiations, which lean towards but don't require full Turkish membership down the road, can get going. I know there's a lot of concern in the EU about the notion of admitting a massive, mainly-Muslim state, but those objectors should put that kind of religious fear behind them and look to the future of the EU.With the admission of Turkey, it's obvious that the notion of the EU is going to have to change. Its borders will then extend beyond traditional Europe, and into the Middle East. Once Turkey has joined, there will be little reason to deny the start of negotiations with a nation such as Russia, which, as a pan-Asian nation, extends as far as the Pacific. The EU will then be forced to critically re-examine its purpose - is it primarily or does it seek to be a predominantly-geographic bloc? Or is it an organization seeking to improve economic standards? Is it an organization dedicated to multilateralism and peace? One that seeks to counterbalance American power? All of the above? I think that should Turkey be granted full membership, the members of the EU will have to recognize that their organization can and must be more than it is. A refusal to retool the organization as more than simply a geographic club will, ultimately, result in its stagnation and potential collapse.
When negotiating with Turkey, however, the EU should not lower their standards. Proceedings towards EU membership can be a unique opportunity for Turkey to drastically-improve human rights standards and democratic governance. The EU should take advantage of this fact, and refuse to admit Turkey until these qualifications are met. If the negotiations take decades, so be it. Turkey can be a strong, democratic, member of the EU based on the rule of law, but it's not quite there yet. Regardless, the issue of Turkey will likely prove to be a turning point for the EU, whether it achieves membership or not.
