Turkish front in EP weak, but...

First, we had a meeting with Olli Rehn and today we will see the German Minister of Foreign Affairs Steinmeier. To tell the truth, both of these people will soon depart their positions. Rehn will move on to another seat in the new commission and leave the expansion department.

Steinmeier might drop out of the coalition after the elections in September. But both will remain in a crucial position from Turkey’s viewpoint, and finding out their opinions about the new situation will be very informative.

The new scenario

We will discuss in length the results of the European Parliament later. I’ll confine myself to only reflecting on some pre-identifications. If we were to make a pre-evaluation of the general elections we’d encounter the following:

w Social Democrats, the so-called "Turkish front" who support Turkey’s full membership, lost. The Liberals did not obtain as good a result as expected. The most successful ones are the Greens.

w On the contrary, mainly right-wing parties won. Fanatics like the conservatives, nationalists and racists increased their seats. The European people showed that in the economic crisis they preferred conservative parties rather than left-wing parties.

w In general, the "expansion period" took a jab. People don’t want the EU to expand further. Turkey’s situation will indirectly get a little more difficult. But nevertheless the "Turkish front" is still strong enough to protect and watch over Turkey in the parliament. Our lives will get a little more difficult but friends of Turkey will support as necessary.

Let’s see if these results will turn out as expected. In the coming days I’ll continue reflecting on my Brussels impressions.

I love it when people whose actual profession is a poet, author or professor become professionals at interpreting external politics. They gather indirect information, add their general knowledge and when they have knowledge of a foreign language, they are all set. Then they talk through their hat and start sharing with everybody their anticipation in international developments.

Now the doors in front of them are all open. The more conspiracy theories produced, the more they become self-confident. Özdemir İnce’s article on June 5th in Hürriyet evoked all this in me. Of course, I would have liked to keep him out of the characterization above, but I noticed that Mr. İnce also has become one of them.

He says, "I used to write about what would happen before Mehmet Ali Talat was elected and before the Annan referendumÉ"

I felt troubled about why the Republic of Turkey does not take advantage of those far-sighted medium-like people.

Mr. İnce, in his article, draws attention to the headline in my article from April 22, "Bravo to EU for tying Cyprus" and after lowering the boom on me for writing about the EU’s brisk attitude in Cyprus, he says, "Pardon me, you only voice your opinion after everything is settled? The important thing is to see things in advance and inform people. I wrote about what will happen long before he did.

M. Ali Birand says that I don’t know a thing about external politics, underestimating me. M. Ali Birand, in his disappointment, slams the European Union which he once supported blindfoldedÉ"

There can be no mention of me despising Mr. İnce. Besides, I wouldn’t despise any opinion. Underestimation is typical for fools. But I do insist on the fact that Mr. İnce does not know a thing about external politics and his article is proof of it.

Mr. İnce sees external politics as static and as a concept with no variables. What’s worse is that he thinks supporting this project means supporting it blindfolded and all the way. I still believe that Turkey’s salvation lies neither in AKP politics nor in military intervention.

If Turkey is to become a country in which people respect democrats, liberals, the rich and basic freedoms, I believe it will only be realized through full membership in the EU.

But this belief does not prevent me from criticizing some of the EU’s nonsense politics or mistakes. I’ll support the EU project but also hold its mistakes against it.

Because Mr. İnce foresees everything and does not live in the real world but in an illusive one, he perceives everything differently. And this is of course his natural right.

If he would only write with a bit more nuance, we’d be able to take advantage of it.