“October 3, Junction on the Road to the EU”

The following points need immediate consideration while Turkey’s journey into the European Union reaches a crucial juncture.
The European continent is old as far as things are considered; it does not have much to offer to the world from now on, whereas, Turkey has great potential as a country. Nonetheless, we need to realize our full potential, to come to the full awareness of the dynamics that make us who we are, to be able to follow our own principles without suffering any guilt complex, and to create an integration of the state and the public, covering all the institutions in it.
Europe is fully conscious of Turkey’s dynamics and potential; therefore, it wants to capitalize on these dynamics and potential, at the same time these traits frighten the continent. While it focuses its efforts on capitalizing on them, Europe does its utmost to keep Turkey “constantly disciplined” and to make us constantly appear “small” to Europe, using Greece, Greek Cypriots and Austria to achieve this purpose, and would try to turn Turkey’s potential to its advantage during negotiations. If Europe manages to “discipline” Turkey, then the place of our country will be defined by its capacity to play the role of “small part of Europe”.
Many people, including Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan, tend to think of Turkey’s entry into the EU as a dialog of civilizations at times, and a corporation of civilizations at others. Turkey’s civilization dates back to hundreds of years; Turkey must decide which project of civilization will definitely characterize Turkey’s entry into the EU. It is necessary for Turkey to own a different civilization on the basis of distinctive dynamics to those of the EU countries, and to have a project of civilization that is specific only to Turkey.
Turkey is the heir of a great civilization; additionally, Turkey is in a position of creating the most encompassing and humane civilization of the future making use of its available dynamics and potential. If Turkey’s entry into the EU is supposed to mean a dialogue of civilizations, a form of cooperation between civilizations that involves the West as well, then Turkey has to rely on its own dynamics and potential, and not on imported or imposed models.
This will enable Turkey to be a respected country that has a strong will to make itself influential during negotiations, and which will give Turkey a precious position of historic importance to occupy a place among other nations due to its geographical position and history.