"America’s Perspective on Turkish EU Relations
Nicholas Danforth
Monday , 16 July 2007
America has consistently supported Turkey’s bid to join the European Union, believing that Turkish membership will advance America’s strategic interests by cementing Turkey’s Western orientation and democratic political culture. In the view of many American diplomats and analysts, American advocacy has been decisive in facilitating Turkey’s accession process, specifically in securing Turkey’s Customs Union agreement in 1995 and candidate status in 1999. While it is widely recognized that Turkey’s EU membership would set back American interests in certain areas, there is a firm bi-partisan consensus that any such losses would be outweighed by the larger strategic gains. That the Bush administration, famous for its “Anything-But-Clinton” approach to foreign policy, maintained Clinton’s uncompromising position on Turkish membership is a testament to the clarity of Washington’s approach to the issue."
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