Turkey has spent the last 43 years attempting to join the elitist European Union (EU). There have been debates on geography, religion and economics. The time has come for the EU to act decisively.
The EU is famous for its indecision. Valerie Giscard d'Estaing spent years parading around his constitution, only to see it defeated by voters in France and Netherlands this spring. Proposals for a common defense policy have been thrown around for decades. The budget process is notoriously slow and labored, always ending in midnight bouts over rebates. The 25 heads of states are wonderful at discussion, but terrible at translating these discussions into action.
The risks of not moving forward on the Turkey issue are grave for the Union's future political and economic relevance.
The European Union, and its member states, have already been trumped several times on the international scene. Dilemmas such as the turmoil and indecision leading up to the Iraq war would not occur had there been a unified decision process.
The European Union has been struggling recently on the economic front, repeatedly posting inferior numbers to the United States. Fiascoes such as the textile war with China will continue to degrade it's credibility as a legitimate trading partner.
As the international decision-making process moves away from traditional Atlantic partners, rising powerhouses such as China or India will gradually undermine the historic sway of Europe.
Obscure and clouded bureaucratic procedures only add to the growing paralysis of Europe. A numerically larger parliament and changes to voting processes since the most recent enlargement has resulted in a slower, more drawn out process.
The current crises that loom over the EU -- rejected constitution, economic stagnation, and declining influence -- all stem from its inability to act coherently. The accession talks with Turkey, which began Monday, are an opportunity for the crippled giant to be decisive.
Turkey has spent the last half-century trying to impress the important members of the EU that it is worthy of membership. The country can no longer remain in limbo. But the early signs from these discussions are not good. Analysts now are expect talks to drag on for more than ten years.
Turkey is far behind the average member country by most statistical measures and this gap must be narrowed to make it a more productive trading partner, and financial contributor to Union programs. Success has been demonstrated on the Iberian peninsula and slowly in Eastern Europe and a larger gap should not be a hurdle.
Snapping the European Union out of its vegetable state will not be easy, but the first place to start should be with Turkey. Not only has the nation been patiently waiting as country after country skips it in line, but the decision is historically monumental - either way it goes.
There is a risk that Turkey could develop resentment after having been strung along for so long. As the major world powers are consistently worried about fundamentalist reactionaries, snubbing the Turkish people could inadvertently create a hotbed for resentment.
Turkey is neither an exceptional candidate, nor a pitiful one. But instead of circling around the problem, the EU either needs to accept Turkey, or send them off permanently. More years spent in limbo will be detrimental for all parties concerned.
Though the recent constitutional debate had little relevance to Turkey ostensibly, it provided a perfect barometer for just how discontent Europeans were with the current process.
As the Union grows larger - membership increased by 2/3 in May 2004 - there is a rising sense of alienation among the public. As a population grows more distant from its political elite, the chances of making popularly accepted and understandable decisions are decreased.
