"The new German initiative can give Turkey a headache
Various
When one hears that Chancellor Angela Merkel is criticized for having given her consent as European Union (EU) term president to start negotiations on a second chapter, one can be slightly temped to sympathize with the difficult position she is in. She has to fine-tune her dual track policy as far as the EU- Turkey relations are concerned. On the one hand, as term president, she has to remain loyal to the commitments given by the Union to Turkey. “Pacta sunt servanda,” is a principle she often refers to when talking to the Turkish side. On the other hand, as the head of the Christian Democrats, she has to accommodate the pressure put on her from party circles and constituents on slowing down the Turkish accession process. This might be a particularly difficult task since; she is known to be a staunch believer in a privileged partnership instead of membership. Hence, it should not have come as a surprise when the German presidency did not invite Turkey for the EU’s 50th birthday celebrations. Obviously, it is impossible not to feel resentment for Germany’s total ignorance of Turkey’s 40 years of history with the Union."
More:M.A.Birand » The new German initiative can give Turkey a headache
