Seminar paper from the year 2009 in the subject Politics – Topic: European Union, grade: A-, University of Basel (Europainstitut), language: English, abstract: Authors have proved hypothesis: Turkey’s military capabilities, experience in NATO and
international peace keeping operations and missions could rather strengthen than weaken
ESDP position. However, there are some weaknesses that Turkey faces (focus on ‘hard’
rather than ‘soft’ power, military is in the process of modernizing, underestimated role in
peace keeping operations), Turkey’s contribution to ESDP is too significant (strong
involvement in the missions) and will give more benefits than costs. Furthermore, Turkish
accession to the EU would transform strategic challenges of ESDP.51
Only five of twenty ESDP peace keeping operations have been of a military nature, which
mostly has been held by NATO or UN. “When it comes to much bigger military issues, the
EU avoids taking strategic responsibility and still depends on the NATO to do its ‘dirty
work’”52. Therefore military stronger EU would give NATO and UN credit that EU is also
responsible in the field of crisis management. Such win-win situation would exempt US
Secretary’s of State Madeleine Albright’s the “3 D’s”: 1) decoupling of ESDP from NATO,
2) duplication of capabilities, 3) discrimination of non-EU NATO members.53 Turkey would
also play role of agent between EU and NATO and “parties involved will benefit from threelevel
game”54 (EU-Turkey-NATO). Therefore it is advantageous and beneficial not only for
Turkey, but also for the EU and the NATO as well.55
Finally, last week Enlargement Commissioner Olli Rehn once more showed that EU would
not allow Turkey ‘cruise control’ on accession.56 Therefore Turkey-EU relations should
balance the contributions and benefits of such partnership and show that both partners can be
producers and consumers of security and experience of defence. Such dialogue will prove that
EU can play an important role in CFSP/ESDP dimension also in the future.
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