Search

This paper compares the EU's accession negotiations with Bulgaria and Turkey to assess the conditions under which their negotiations unfolded and the role of bilateral issues in that aspect. To do so, the paper highlights the role of the member state vetoes and bilateral relations in the EU negotiations. It needs to be noted that even though the European Commission condemns the impact of bilateral problems on the accession process, unresolved bilateral issues, nonetheless, emerge as major factors complicating the EU's enlargement process, its effectiveness as well as the pace and nature of the negotiations with multiple applicants and candidates. We look at role of individual member states as veto players on the EU accession negotiations, specifically becoming the most important factor in the Turkish case. We limit our focus to the lack of consensus and commitment among the EU member states towards Turkey as a complicating factor in the EU negotiations. We are able to ascertain that a key difference between Bulgaria and Turkey with regards to their EU accession was the member state vetoes for Turkey's negotiations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper endeavours to shed light on Turkey's historical partnership with the European Union (EU) from a critical perspective. This study asserts that, all along, Turkey conceived the EU from a predominantly political, ideological and civilisational perspective. This parochial outlook, the paper argues, has served to undermine Turkey's negotiation position vis-à-vis the EU. The Ankara Agreement (1963), the Additional Protocol (1970) and the Customs Union arrangement (1995) which have regulated the three stages of Turkey's official links with the EU pending eventual membership, have mostly operated to the detriment of Turkish interests and aspirations. This lack of balance has been visible in Turkey's ever-mounting trade deficit with member states of the EU and in the determined resistance of the EU to implement freedom of movement for Turkish workers in the EU countries. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of International Relations / Uluslararasi Iliskiler is the property of International Relations Council and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Research on the EU's membership conditionality focuses more on conditionality's domestic impacts than on conditionality itself. The question of how consistently the EU seeks the Copenhagen criteria prior to offering membership is rarely investigated. To fill this gap, this article studies conditionality regarding Turkey, arguing that true conditionality should exclusively link EU demands for compliance with the formal membership criteria to rewards in the accession process. In coding the EU's conditionality signals for “exclusiveness of linkage,” low formal conditionality in Turkey was found. It is concluded that the EU's anticipated costs of “absorbing” Turkey caused its unwillingness to deploy proper formal conditionality. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Kafkas University, Journal of Economics & Administrative Sciences Faculty / Kafkas Üniversitesi Iktisadi ve Idari Bilimler Fakültesi Dergisi is the property of University of Kafkas, Faculty of Economics & Administrative Sciences and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

The article discusses the intent and defects of the European Union's (EU) accession talks with Turkey, which has been an EU candidate country since 1999. Whether the accession would be successful or not, it is asserted that Turkey will still be a permanent neighbor and its status will still be the same in terms of society, politics and economy.

Examines Turkey's emerging relations with the European Union, the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and the U.S. following the Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003. Regional strategic importance of Turkey due to its geographical location; Turkey's maintenance of the second largest military establishment among NATO nations; Turkey's distrust of U.S. plans for Iraqi Kurdistans; Turkey's concerns about Ankara's fears of an independent Kurdish state, the Cyorus dispute and the imperative to maintain a security balance in the Caucasus and Central Asia.

Assesses the effects of Turkey's democratization process on its behavior in relation to Greece, as well as its stance on the Cyprus issue. Reason for Greece's concession in granting Turkey the status of a European Union (EU) candidate country in December 1999; Risk of democratization on the international security of a country; Information on the European summit at Helsinki, Finland from December 11 to 12, 1999; Other issues that may influence Turkey's eligibility for EU membership.

Focuses on Turkey and its relationship with the European Union. Turkey's strategic value in international relations; Obstacles to Turkey's entry into the EU; Issue of access to Cyprus; Fractious rivalry between Greece and Turkey.

Examines the European Union's decision to reject the application of Turkey for membership last December 12, 1997. Argument on shortcomings in upholding the principles of democracy, law and human rights; Impact of Turkey's cultural differences and structural problems; Limitation of future prospects for membership.

Provides information on the relationship between Turkey and the European Union (EU). Unwillingness of many European politicians to look at Turkey as a European country; Factors which attributed to their unwillingness; Reference to several books written relating to the relationship between Turkey and the European Union; Names of the books includes, `Turkey's Relation with a Changing Europe,' by Meltem Muftuler-Bac and `The Ottoman Turks,' by Justin McCarthy.