Abstract

Despite the general impression, the Union for the Mediterranean UfM , which was launched in 2008 as the newest phase of the Barcelona Process, has not yet completely failed for the European Union EU and its Mediterranean partners. The UfM, which underwhelms even the Mediterranean countries and suffers from lack of financial sources and absentism, hardly promises a bright future. Nevertheless, once one focuses rather on the content of this recent Mediterranean initiative of the EU, the dull picture changes. The transition expected consequent to the so-called “Arab Spring” will render the context of the UfM even more valuable. This study argues that the UfM in effect bears the potential to create tangible benefits through concrete projects that would contribute to the sustainable life in the Mediterranean. In doing so it adopts a normativist perspective and appeals to the EU, its Mediterranean partners, and particularly to Turkey to depoliticize the decision-making process of the UfM and establish full commitment to the Mediterranean sustainability.

Keywords

• Union for the Mediterranean
• Normativism
• Barcelona Process
• Mediterranean Politics

AB’nin Normatif Kapasite Sorunu, Akdeniz için Birlik ve Türkiye

Öz

Genel kanının aksine, 2008 yılında 43 ülkenin katılımı ile Barselona Süreci’nin yeni ayağı olarak başlatılan Akdeniz için Birlik AiB henüz Avrupa Birliği AB ve Akdeniz’deki muhatapları için tam anlamıyla başarısızlıkla nihayetlenmiş değil. Akdeniz ülkelerinin bile gündeminden düşen, finansal açıdan Barselona Süreci’nin 2006-2013 bütçesindeki payı ile yetinmek zorunda olan ve toplantıları katılım azlığı nedeniyle üst üste ertelenen AiB’nin mevcut haliyle üyeleri için parlak bir gelecek vaat etmediği kesin. Ancak, AB’nin Akdeniz Politikası tartışmalarının yarattığı ilgisizlik, bıkkınlık ve güvensizlik duygularından arındırılmış içeriğe odaklı bir bakış açısı, AiB’den ümit kesilmemesi, bu girişimin bölgeye uyum ve istikrar adına somut başarılar getirebileceği üzerine daha özenli düşünmemizi sağlayacaktır. “Arap Baharı” sonucunda gerçekleşmesi öngörülen politik ve ekonomik dönüşümün de AiB’in önemini arttırması beklenmelidir. Bu çalışma, somut projeler aracılığı ile yaratılan faydanın ölçülebilmesi ilkesi üzerine kurulan AiB’nin, onbeş yıllık Barselona Süreci’ne gereksinim duyduğu taze kanı sağlama olasılığının AiB ülkeleri, dolayısıyla Türkiye tarafından göz ardı edilmemesi gerektiğini savunmaktadır. Bu bağlamda, AB’nin normatif aktörlük kapasitesine referansla AiB’nin içeriği, nitelikleri ve potansiyeline odaklanarak Türkiye’nin sürece, sürecin Türkiye’ye katkılarını değerlendirmeyi amaçlamaktadır

Anahtar Kelimeler

• Akdeniz için Birlik
• Normatiflik
• Barselona Süreci
• Akdeniz Politikası

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