Failure to secure Turkish entry to the European Union will undermine global efforts to build ties between the west and the Islamic world, warned Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, in an exclusive interview with Emerging Markets. Erdogan, who is due to meet German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder today to discuss EU membership, said that "leaving Turkey out of the EU would certainly cause adverse feelings."
Schroeder cautioned yesterday that although EU negotiations will start as scheduled on October 3, Turkey must not backslide on reforms. There have been concerns that a recent slowdown in the pace of Turkish reforms might derail the talks. Erdogan, who is set to address the ADB meeting on Thursday, is determined to see his country join the EU. "Turkey's face has been turned towards Europe for so long," he said. "[It] has made an historical choice to integrate itself with contemporary civilization, the modern world and its values."
Denying Turkey entry on the basis of its predominantly Muslim population would "inflict damage to efforts being made to overcome impasses our world actually faces," said Erdogan. It would also stand opposed to one of the EU's main goals – to play a greater role in world affairs, he said. "Turkey's EU membership will be the litmus test of the EU motto 'unity in diversity'".
Erdogan hopes that securing a place in the EU will also strengthen his country's position with respect to Asia. Seen in this light, Erdogan said that Turkey would act as an ideal partner for strengthening trade and political ties between Europe and Asia. In his address to the annual meeting, Erdogan will make a bold push for bolstering economic and political ties between the two regions, to underpin what he calls an "emerging Eurasian reality".
"The central stage of this century will be Eurasia," he said, adding that his country, which straddles both continents, is "well poised to become a strategic centre" of this new geopolitical landscape.
Erdogan dwelled on what he called the "worrisome trend" of Turkey's burgeoning trade deficit with Asia, which increased to $12.8 billion last year, from $7.1 billion in 2003. "Turkey's economic and trade relations with the region still fall short of reflecting its true potential," he said.
"It is the priority of my government to remedy this situation," he said. "I am confident that this task can be easily accomplished." He pointed out that despite the trade deficit, last year the volume of Turkey's trade with Asia hit $12.1 billion.
The prime minister returned to Turkey yesterday following a trip to Israel and Palestine. He stressed that Turkey's role as guarantor of stability in the country's region will also be reinforced by Turkey's push for greater international cooperation, including with Asia. Turkey borders Iraq, Iran and Syria.
Earlier this year Erdogan led a business delegation to the tsunami stricken regions of Asia, in a humanitarian mission, which sought to shore up cooperation between Turkey and countries in the area. In February, the prime minister visited Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, Maldives and Sri Lanka.