Comments on Centre for European Reform: Nicolas Sarkozy: Turkophobe and protectionist? By ...

I realize that realism is part -sometimes large pa...

2007-05-17T14:01:00.000Z

I realize that realism is part -sometimes large part - of a healthy political discourse/policy, but isn't the fact that Turkey forcibly occuppies large part of Cyprus - now European Union soil - a real fact also? We don't read about this fact in any of the discussions/essays about Turkey's EU aspirations at the CER. Or when we do read something it is usually a comment very dismissive of the case of Cyprus; as if one whole country, a member of the EU, doesn't matter.
Perhaps Mr. Sarkozy represents a much needed new generation of leaders with more political morals, a true believer of a common fate for European small and large nations.

I'm not so sure the idea of a Mediterranean Union ...

2007-05-14T09:18:00.000Z

I'm not so sure the idea of a Mediterranean Union should be dismissed so lightly. In the short term it does appear to offer sideline Turkey's EU aspirations into a second best option (with Sarkozy offering Turkey a co-leadership role).

But would it be second best or a new approach to Neighbourhood Policy? In the longer term Morocco, at least, will also be seeking probable membership of a very wide EU. And Tunisia, Lebanon? Is Mark Leonard's rather bleak 2020 forecast of a region outside the general international flow really the only option?

The Barcelona process has a few more years to run in its current work programme. A Med Union will take several years to construct.. is it a possible successor to Barcelona? Its attraction to the Med partners is clear as it may offer them a more equal relationship to the EU rather than the existing process of Action Plans.

French business leaders were promoting the Med Union concept back in January in Turkey well before the election campaign. It offers Turkey's reformers a tangible immediate step and enables EU citizens in 10-15 years time to make a choice between Turkey as Med Union partner or a full partner in the EU.

By then perhaps we will have determined whether a country under Sharia law does meet the Copenhagen criteria and can inform Turkey accordingly.

All the signs show that Sarkozy is going to ask fo...

2007-05-11T16:39:00.000Z

All the signs show that Sarkozy is going to ask for a break on the EU/Turkey negotiations (see Lamassoure interview on euobserver.)I believe that, as he made such a high preference in his campaign, he won't turn back.

On the CAP, it is indeed interesting to see that Sarkozy did not say much about it durign his campaing. He talked about prices that need to be guaranted (by who?) and asked that agriculture should stay productivist (much like Chirac). Moreover, Sarkozy attacked Mandelson more or less in the same way that Chirac did. Not sure that things will change much.

To speak about Franch-EU-Turkish relations and not...

2007-05-11T06:47:00.000Z

To speak about Franch-EU-Turkish relations and not to mention the Middle East crisis, nor USA, (except Baby 'the war' Bush - as a part of a group of EU's leaders), is not what I was expecting from the director of of one think-tank.

If you don't mind I'll stick to chief economist's analyses from now on. Much more closer to my taste.