|
HAMISH ROBERTSON: Turkey's Prime Minister, Recep
Tayyip Erdogan, held crucial talks in Brussels last
week, just a fortnight before the European Union
publishes its assessment on whether this Muslim
nation fulfils the criteria for joining the European
Union.
There's been a fierce debate in Europe over whether
Turkey is a truly European nation. Those who remain
unconvinced point to its lack of development, and
its poor human rights record.
It's also a controversial issue in Turkey itself,
where a clause in the new penal code, which would
have made adultery a criminal offence, was hastily
removed after objections from the European
Commission, despite strong support from the ruling
party.
Our Middle East correspondent Jane Hutcheon
discovered that there was also deep uncertainty on
the streets of Istanbul.
JANE HUTCHEON: I'm standing on the edge of the
Bosphorus – the strait which separates two
continents Asia and Europe. Istanbul straddles both.
Looking at the haphazard setting, the landscape is
Europe, but it's something of a melting pot.
It's sophisticated but poor in places, the bustle is
Asia, and everywhere the stamp of Ataturk – the
staunchly nationalistic founder of Modern Turkey
whose spirit leaps from billboards and statues. Then
there are the grand Ottoman mosques that say what
Europeans are trying to play down. Though secular,
there's no mistaking this is an Islamic nation.
I met Nizirak Shahim who lived in Germany for 11
years. She admits some Europeans have a bad
impression of Turkey.
NIZIRAK SHAHIM (translated): Some German people want
Turkey to join the EU, but some don't. It's usually
the ones who've never met us before. We're a free
country, much more free than in the past and why
not? Turkey's a European country.
JANE HUTCHEON: At a western café, I found Baran, a
25-year-old student waiting at tables. Surprisingly,
he was opposed to Turkey getting EU membership.
BARAN: There is a big problem in Turkey about human
rights, you know? Some people under pressure.
JANE HUTCHEON: He preferred to continue the
discussion away from his workplace, so we found a
local café where we ordered Turkish tea. Baran told
me he was a Kurd, part of a 25 million strong ethnic
group, 15 million of which are in Turkey.
Like many Kurds, Baran's family in Turkey's
south-east has suffered at the hands of a repressive
Turkish military, intent on extinguishing any
separatist aspirations. As part of Turkey's bid to
join the EU, it's improved cultural rights for the
Kurds, who until recently, could be jailed for
speaking their own language.
I asked how long it could be before Turkey could be
considered worthy of EU membership.
BARAN: In 20 years, I say… maybe, because there is
some problem we can't solve quickly about the
government.
JANE HUTCHEON: When the party of Prime Minister
Recep Tayyip Erdogan tried to introduce a clause in
the new penal code, criminalizing adultery, Turkey's
outspoken women's groups mounted a loud protest. So
did Europe. The proposal is now on the shelf.
But the penal code is just one of a wad of reforms
implemented in order to push Turkey over the EU's
picky line. I've just paid three million Turkish
Lira for 100 grams of a spice called Sumac. That's
about four dollars. But next year, all the zeroes
will be dropped so I'd be paying three New Turkish
Lira. Everyone welcomes the simplification,
including Tarsim Zola, who I met with his family
outside the Blue Mosque.
"We want to become part of the European family," he
says. "It will be better for our economy. We also
want to eliminate racism and join as an Islamic
government to show that we can all live together."
As Turkey awaits the EU's report card on October the
6th, officials are keen to stress that the reform
process will continue whatever the outcome. In turn,
they ask, should Europe be so precise about what it
means to be European? Is there such a thing?
This is Jane Hutcheon in Istanbul, for
Correspondents Report.
Transcript
This is a transcript from Correspondents Report. The
program is broadcast around Australia on Sundays at
08:00 on ABC Radio National.
http://www.abc.net.au
Top |
® 