"Free speech at its best" was how a Labour Party participant aptly described yesterday's session of the Forum on Europe devoted to Turkey's application to join the European Union. The all-party forum heard an address from Ali Babacan, Turkey's chief negotiator with the EU. He commended its members for their depth of interest in, understanding of and sympathy with his country's position. In response to a series of critical and quite intrusive questions on Turkey's reform programme aimed at meeting the conditions of entry he gave a frank yet confident account of the progress made to date.
It can be summed up in his comment that "the reforms put in place by our government have brought major improvements to the lives of our citizens". In describing Turkey's remarkable economic dynamism and the extensive legislative changes made so far, he said that it was a long process, requiring adaptation and learning by both sides. This could be a win-win relationship if the good-will was there. Among the benefits Turkey brings he mentioned that it could strengthen Europe's global role, since its neighbours included the Middle East, the Caucasus, the Balkans and Central Asia. Turkey helped to bring Europe and Asia closer. Its membership of the EU would express the harmonious coexistence of cultures, while its combination of Islamic values, secularism and democracy was an example for other countries. Economically, it was a hugely dynamic marketplace and a significant gateway for investors.
It is refreshing to hear such a confident exposition of the case for engaging positively with Turkey's ambitions to join the EU. This is unusual in the current European climate. There has been a definite disenchantment with the prospect of Turkish accession over the past year, just as it overcame the critical juncture of acceptance that negotiations should open. More and more arguments have been made that it is too different to embrace European values and historical identity and that territorial boundaries need to be drawn to reflect such cultural realities.
This case is at best a partial truth, at worst quite misleading. The criteria Turkey is being asked to meet concern the rule of law, a functioning democracy and market economy and the protection of minorities, not to demonstrate its compliance with a dubious model of a homogeneous European identity. European integration is best defined as an open and forward-looking project, taking in states which can demonstrate a commitment to such universal values and which have a long-standing geographical and historical involvement with the continent, as does Turkey. It will be criticised next week by the European Commission for not making sufficient progress on Cyprus, freedom of speech, human rights and the equality of women, just as it was yesterday. An EU summit next month will decide whether to continue these talks. There is indeed much ground to make up. Mr Babacan made a convincing case in Dublin yesterday that the process deserves to continue.