Talking Turkey

More trouble for Turkey's bid to join the EU? The Christian Science Monitor reports today that Turkish enthusiasm for EU membership is waning, with public support at about 50 percent, down from 80 percent two years ago. Ankara is particularly upset over two recent rebuffs: a continued economic embargo on Turkish Cypriots and a French ...

More trouble for Turkey's bid to join the EU? The Christian Science Monitor reports today that Turkish enthusiasm for EU membership is waning, with public support at about 50 percent, down from 80 percent two years ago. Ankara is particularly upset over two recent rebuffs: a continued economic embargo on Turkish Cypriots and a French law (unlikely to pass) that proposes to "criminalize any statement casting doubt on the Armenians' claim that they suffered genocide at Turkish hands in 1915." French historians and journalists who question Armenians' version of events could receive hefty fines and even jail time. These moves, in the face of what many Turks consider substantial concessions made to the EU negotiators, have led to rise in Turkish nationalism, bolstered by the conservative AKP ruling party.

More trouble for Turkey's bid to join the EU? The Christian Science Monitor reports today that Turkish enthusiasm for EU membership is waning, with public support at about 50 percent, down from 80 percent two years ago. Ankara is particularly upset over two recent rebuffs: a continued economic embargo on Turkish Cypriots and a French law (unlikely to pass) that proposes to "criminalize any statement casting doubt on the Armenians' claim that they suffered genocide at Turkish hands in 1915." French historians and journalists who question Armenians' version of events could receive hefty fines and even jail time. These moves, in the face of what many Turks consider substantial concessions made to the EU negotiators, have led to rise in Turkish nationalism, bolstered by the conservative AKP ruling party.

For its part, Turkey has Europe worried with a series of prosecutions against writers and journalists for "insulting Turkish identity," often by referring to the Armenian genocide, a stance the NYT likens to Turkish "hysteria." It all certainly seems to be making for some strained negotiations.

Carolyn O'Hara is a senior editor at Foreign Policy.
Tag: Europe

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