FULL MEMBERSHIP· UTOPIA? PROBLEMS AND PROSPERITY IN TURCO-EUROPEAN RELATIONS
Abstract
-Turkey's relationship with Western Europe goes back to the end of the Ottoman
era when reformist Sultans tried to modernize the empire. These relations developed
during and after the Cold War that began with the ending of the World War
II. In this context Turkey as a parliamentary democracy became part of the European
security policy and a NATO member as well as other political and economic organizations
such as OECD and the European Council. Turkey, in this way, exposed
ijs desire to be a full member of the European Economic Community in 1959 and
signed, as a first step, an agreement to establish an associate membership that
aimed at becoming full integration after a certain time. Concluding the customs union
agreement in this new era has a special meaning for both parties. Not only security
needs but also economic and political aims will be achieved by Turkey and the European
Union through this new partnership. The basic purpose of this article is to investigate
how important an issue Turkey's Western integration is as well as Turkey's
importance to the West in this new post Cold War era.
Keywords
FULL MEMBERSHIP· UTOPIA? PROBLEMS AND PROSPERITY IN TURCO-EUROPEAN RELATIONS
Abstract
Turkey's relationship with Western Europe goes back to the end of the Ottoman
era when reformist Sultans tried to modernize the empire. These relations developed
during and after the Cold War that began with the ending of the World War
II. In this context Turkey as a parliamentary democracy became part of the European
security policy and a NATO member as well as other political and economic organizations
such as OECD and the European Council. Turkey, in this way, exposed
ijs desire to be a full member of the European Economic Community in 1959 and
signed, as a first step, an agreement to establish an associate membership that
aimed at becoming full integration after a certain time. Concluding the customs union
agreement in this new era has a special meaning for both parties. Not only security
needs but also economic and political aims will be achieved by Turkey and the European
Union through this new partnership. The basic purpose of this article is to investigate
how important an issue Turkey's Western integration is as well as Turkey's
importance to the West in this new post Cold War era.
Keywords
