Turkey's desire to join the EU was boosted last week, when theEuropean Commission recommended opening membership talks with thecountry. EU membership promises increased foreign investment andexpanded trade within Europe for Turkey.
The EU must hold Turkey to strict human rights standards, as Dr.Glendale-Hilmar Kaiser's speech on the Armenian genocide remindedstudents. The Turkish government continues to refuse to recognizethat there was a state-sponsored genocide against the Armenians atthe beginning of the 20th century.
Additionally, Turkey has not won praises for the treatment ofits Kurdish minority. It has recently been easing its restrictionson the group - it is no longer illegal to broadcast the Kurdishlanguage on television, and some Kurdish leaders are able to callfor more rights without being thrown in jail. But there is still away to go.
Fears have recently risen that Turkey may move in the wrongdirection. Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan wanted tore-criminalize adultery, which drew enough European criticism todrop the efforts in the 23rd hour. The country has been condemnedfor a poor record on religious freedom and women's rights. Turkeywill have to meet stiff economic and legal criteria to gainadmission to the EU.
The prospect of joining the EU will be an impetus for Turkey tomodernize both its economy and legal system. Entrance into Europe'selite club is a popular goal with the Turkish population, if thepress is anything to go by, and politicians can find support topass the necessary measures.
Adding Turkey would reflect well on the EU, if only because itwill show that the EU is not a Christian organization. Millions ofMuslims already live within the EU, but Turkey would be the firstmajority-Muslim nation to join the Union. It is quite a secularnation, but it would be a step towards proving that liberaldemocracy and Islamic cultures can mix.
Critics of Turkey's admission cite fears that large numbers ofpoor Turks will flood into Western Europe. The free movement ofpeople, however, is a necessary tenant of the EU to allow forcomplete economic integration. However, there were similar fearsconcerning the 10 Eastern European countries that joined this pastMay. Western Europe was not swamped with economic migrants fromEastern Europe, nor were they inundated with those from Turkey.
Others fear the economic ramifications of inviting in a poorcountry like Turkey, where nearly a third of the population worksin agriculture. The point of the EU is to benefit all of thecountries that join, not just rich ones like France and Germany.Membership turned Ireland and Spain into strong economies, and willhopefully do the same to new member countries. Turkey's largepopulation and resources show that there is potential forgrowth.
The biggest obstacle that could block Turkey's EU bid is itshuman rights record. It needs to continue easing up on the Kurdsand expanding women's rights. It also needs to admit itsinvolvement with the Armenian genocide once and for all. If Turkeyis to spend its future in the EU, it needs to come clean about itspast.
