Brussels applauds Turkey

Armenians would explain in detail how they faced genocide at the hands of Turks, followed by Greek Cypriots who would claim how Turkey had invaded their innocent land, and then explain what a threat Turkey posed to Greece. If, by chance, there were a few Turkish participants in the debate, they were booed as soon as they started to speak. Representatives of Turkey would say little more than the official line, and as a result they usually lacked credibility.

However, on my last visit, we faced an incredible scene in that the hall was actually full.
European parliamentarians, together with their aides and documents, were all in attendance. Parliamentary aides are very important, because what they write is what the parliamentarians say.
There were also an unusually high number of foreign journalists.
It was easily apparent how seriously Turkey was being taken.
The participants from Turkey were selected from among the elite. They didn’t tow the official line; they talked about their own opinions.

Even Justice Ministry International Relations Chairman Saadet Arikan didn’t undertake any official propaganda. She talked about judicial reform and impressed everyone.
Mehmet Altan, Cengiz Çandar, Özdem Sanberk, M. Ali Bayar, Semih Idiz, Emre Kongar, Muzaffer Akpinar, Tugrul Kutadgobilik, Imregün Gencer, Davut Ökütçü, Ismet Berkan, Nazan Moroglu, Emre Alkin, Aydin Dumanoglu, Mehmet Dülger, Ayse Kulin all expressed their personal opinions.
Each one is a very colorful personality.

Foreign participants were also selected from among the elite, namely, European Parliament Alliance of Liberals and Democrats for Europe (ALDE) Group Chief Graham Watson; miracle-worker Italian liberal Emma Bonino; Veronique De Keyser; Jonathan Sugden, who was once the sternest critic of Turkey’s human rights; Andrew Duff; David Barchard; Italian Marco Panella; renowned historian Stephanos Yerasimos; Daniel Cohn Bendit Michael Emerson; Gerald Knaus; Thanos Dokos; Daniel Gros; Joost Lagendijk and EU Parliament Speaker Josep Borrell.
Foreign speakers also talked about how much stronger the EU would be with Turkey’s membership. This was maybe the only such meeting where anti-Turkish groups were nowhere to be seen.
The intermission featured U*censored* and Bahar Dördüncü’s beautiful piano recital and Manuel Çitak’s photographic exhibition.
In other words, Turkey was giving its all.

It was an unbelievably satisfying affair.
As we were in the meeting, draft statements were being discussed outside. Contrary to expectations, everything took place in a convivial atmosphere.
No one can now say anything at “the last minute.” Indeed, there is such a short time left that it is almost impossible to stop our momentum.
The foreigners I talked to at the meeting also said the same.
They said: “The most important thing for Turkey is to get a date to start the negotiations. After the start of the negotiations, no one remembers the conditions. Just remain committed and work on it.”
Tomorrow, I will tell you about the interesting statements made at the meeting.
But for now, I would like to end my article with an observation from a former 1980’s journalist: “Since the last time I was here, the Turkish elite have also changed. It has undergone an incredible transformation. In the past, they would just repeat what the Foreign Ministry said, but today’s Turkey is very different.”