For over a decade, Turkey has actively lobbied for accession into the European Union, but political, economic and social concerns have kept the increasingly democratic country from attaining membership.
Political Science Professor Heiner Schulz and Turkish Industrialist and Businessmen's Association President Abdullah Akyuz led a discussion yesterday to inform the Penn community about the possibility of Turkey's entrance into the international body.
The European Union uses criteria determined at the Copenhagen European Council of 1993 to determine if a Central or Eastern European country may accede into the union. Among other requirements, stable democratic institutions and respect for human rights form the requirements.
During the last decade, Turkey has taken bold steps toward the fulfillment of these criteria and was consequently declared a candidate for E.U. membership in 1999.
Speaking to professors and students in Steinberg-Dietrich Hall, Akyuz claimed that 80 percent of the Turkish population supports accession.
Schulz said that economic and political issues should not keep Turkey from gaining E.U. membership.
"There is a precedent for letting poor countries like Turkey into the E.U.," Schulz said, referring to Spain's accession in 1986.
He also claimed that accession would would "tie a valued NATO ally" into the European political and economic mainstream.
The only argument against accession is the conflict of cultural and social practices between Europe and Turkey, Schulz said.
He blamed Europe's reluctance on a "warped perception" of Turkey and its predominantly Muslim population.
"The accession of Turkey," he added, "would be an opportunity for the E.U. to prove ... [it] is not based on Christian heritage."
Schulz thinks accession would be positive for Turkey and the European Union.
Lecture attendees generally agreed.
"There is a misunderstanding of Turkey," Anthropology Professor Theodore Schurr said. "The inclusion of Turkey has the possibility of expanding the intersection of East and West."
Co-president of the Turkish Student Association and Wharton sophomore Sinan Iscimenler hopes that accession to the European Union will help to improve the American perception of Turkey and of Turkish students in the United States.
Iscimenler invited the two panelists, Akyuz and Schulz, to inform Penn students of the upcoming decision and its consequences.
The Turkey and E.U. panel was assembled by the Turkish Student Association.
The European Union will hold a two-day summit next week to determine if Turkey will be granted membership.
