Giscard joins campaign for ‘third way’ for Turkey

According to former French President Giscard d’Estaing, offering
“privileged partnership status” to Turkey would be “the kind of
constructive and realistic attitude that would allow for progress”.

Former French President Valéry Giscard d’Estaing believes that
Turkey’s EU accession “would change the nature of the European
project”, and therefore negotiations with Ankara “should not focus
on accession but should explore the links that the EU can forge
with its largest neighbours”. In an article published in
the Financial Times on 25 November, Giscard d’Estaing
expressly joins the campaign for a “third way out” for Turkey by
stating that at their mid-December summit the EU member states’
leaders should “decide to open negotiations” on a “privileged
partnership status”. This, he said, is “the kind of constructive
and realistic attitude that would allow for progress”.

Giscard d’Estaing’s comment is the latest addition
to what appears to be a campaign by some member states to
steer the EU’s accession talks with Turkey towards a “privileged
partnership” conclusion. Giscard d’Estaing has long been recognised
as an opponent of Turkey joining the EU as a full member. In a
recent statement, French President Jacques Chirac – himself a
proponent of Turkey’s cause – also hinted at the possibility
of a “third option” for Turkey as a fallback solution.

Giscard d’Estaing, who also lead the EU Convention charged with
drafting Europe’s new Constitutional Treaty, said in his article
that Turkey shares none of the fundamental European
values which the Constitution has sought to define. “The
European Constitution that is waiting to be ratified was not
designed to accommodate a power the size of Turkey,” he said.

“We have been concerning ourselves with Turkey a good deal
recently. Is it not time to give more thought to Europe?” his
article concludes.

Meanwhile, Turkey’s stance remains unchanged. Ankara expects the
EU to reach a “fair and impartial” decision in December. Since
Turkey had fulfilled all the relevant political criteria, and
“since the Commission report is there with a clear-cut
recommendation, I think it is our right to see all member countries
honour it,” Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul has said.

However, after talks with the Turkish Foreign Minister, Abdullah
Gul, the Dutch Foreign Minister Bernard Bot appeared to distance
himself from the French idea by saying that the point of
negotiations is to prepare for Turkey’s membership. “It’s up to
Turkey to prove it is able and willing to fulfil all those
conditions for membership,” Bot said.

Read more with Euractiv

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A month before the EU's scheduled decision on Turkey's membership bid, question marks remain over the 25 member states' ability to reach a unanimous verdict. Meanwhile, the spectre of a 'third way out' appears to loom large.