Debates on Turkey's accession to EU: CFSP/ESDP

Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject Politics - Topic: European Union, grade: A-, University of Basel (Europainstitut), language: English, abstract: Authors have proved hypothesis: Turkey's military capabilities, experience in NATO and international peace keeping operations and missions could rather strengthen than weaken ESDP position. However, there are some weaknesses that Turkey faces (focus on 'hard' rather than 'soft' power, military is in the process of modernizing, underestimated role in peace keeping operations), Turkey's contribution to ESDP is too significant (strong involvement in the missions) and will give more benefits than costs. Furthermore, Turkish accession to the EU would transform strategic challenges of ESDP.51 Only five of twenty ESDP peace keeping operations have been of a military nature, which mostly has been held by NATO or UN. 'When it comes to much bigger military issues, the EU avoids taking strategic responsibility and still depends on the NATO to do its 'dirty work''52. Therefore military stronger EU would give NATO and UN credit that EU is also responsible in the field of crisis management. Such win-win situation would exempt US Secretary's of State Madeleine Albright's the '3 D's': 1) decoupling of ESDP from NATO, 2) duplication of capabilities, 3) discrimination of non-EU NATO members.53 Turkey would also play role of agent between EU and NATO and 'parties involved will benefit from threelevel game'54 (EU-Turkey-NATO). Therefore it is advantageous and beneficial not only for Turkey, but also for the EU and the NATO as well.55 Finally, last week Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn once more showed that EU would not allow Turkey 'cruise control' on accession.56 Therefore Turkey-EU relations should balance the contributions and benefits of such partnership and show that both partners can be producers and consumers of security and experience of defence. Such dialogue will prove that EU can play an important role in CFSP/ESDP dimension also in the future.