Distorted Picture of Turkey

Meet the Turk….

Meet the Turk…

• That were too cruel even for a Turk. Dutch saying

• Where the Turk's horse once treads, the grass never grows again.

English saying

Meet the Turk….

A large part of the opposition to the Turkish membership in the EU is caused by historical perceptions and general lack of knowledge about Turkey.

Turkey: Past, Present and Future, IKV, p.8

We have a vicious circle at the moment, so that negative public opinion in Europe has an impact on political leaders, [...] that in turn erodes the credibility of the accession perspective in the eyes of the Turks and has a negative impact on the reform process.

Oli Rehn

• Historical Perspectives and Images

• Religion and Securalism

• Rights and Freedoms

• Democracy and Civil Society

• Political Participation

• Education

• Europeanness

• Good Neighbourly Relations

• Practical Concerns

Sisyphus´ Debate on EU-Turkey?

Three words and images, namely, the headscarf, generals, and the European Union (EU) are used to stereotype the perception of Turkey.

Kevin Marsh, BBC College of Journalism

Reality?

• Turkish people do not percieve secularism to be under threat and do not think that there is a real possiblity of a Shari´ah- based religious reigme in Turkey.

Turkey: Past, Present and Future, IKV, p.18

Changing of Paradigm?

My constituents say: 'We didn't need the EU in order to triple our national income as we have done. So why bother?'

Egemen Bagis, Guardian, 28th October 2010

Practical Concerns or Concerns on Europeaness?

Negotiations began in 1964. We are in 2007. The time has rather come to tell the Turks whether we want them or if we don’t want them. It is to say that it’s Asia, it is not Europe.

Nicolas Sarkozy,Televised debate with Segolene Royal, May 2, 2007

Issues for the future:

- Freedom of expression- Development of political parties and

civil society.- Turkey as the role model for Arab

renaissaince- Turkey – EU relations with real added

value?

Turks are heroes. They never hurt their friends. This honourable nation will not let their friends alone at the times of hardship. Whoever becomes friends with this amazing nation, will have on his side a priceless power to manage through any hardship.

Comenius, Orbis Pictus, 1655