34
Union people itself,
71
in the other words the EU worry that Turkey would bring the circulation of EU politics into the different directions because of the Muslim
majority of Turkey. Not only the EU elite that tried to reject the full membership of Turkey, but
the majority of the EU people were also reluctant to approve the accession of Turkey. The number of European society that rejected Turkish membership in the
EU was 58 in 1997 and this number continued to increase every year until the EU officially announced that Turkey was an official candidate of the EU in 1999.
The number of European people who still refuse at that time was still 61.
72
The number was certainly had a big influence in the European Councils decision in
deciding the Turkish membership in the European Union.
4. Turkish Problem with Cyprus
The Cyprus problem has been considered as serious problem happened in Turkey since the 1960s. This conflict occurred between Cyprus with Greece as a
result of the formation of the Cyprus state.
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Previously, in the 1950s, Turkey considered that the problem of Cyprus was an internal British matter, as a country
that was having authority in Cyprus at the time. In its development, Turkey was involved in the establishment of the Republic of Cyprus which emphasized the
essence of the so-called bi-national partnership state. When the conflict arose and escalated to be an issue of scramble for influence between Greece and Turkey,
Turkish interest in Cyprus problem was to become a basis advocate for the
71
Europa-Summaries of EU Legislation, The decision-making process and the work of the institutions, [online database],
http:europa.eulegislation_summariesinstitutional_affairsdecisionmaking_processindex_en.htm ,
352014
72
Jürgen Gerhards and Silke Hans, “Why not Turkey? Attitudes towards Turkish membership in the EU among citizens in 27 European countries”, Journal of Common Market Studies 2010 or 2011, p:7
73
Graham E. Fuller Ian Lesser, Turkeys New Geopolitics, Westview: San Francisco, 1993, p: 12
35
Turkish community living in Cyprus as minorities.
74
This Cyprus case become the arena of conflict between Turkey and EU member states, one of them was
Germany which obviously supported Greece.
75
The rejection of Germany as the supporter of Greece would bring a strong impact as this country owned the
qualified majority voting. This Cyprus problem then led the Turkeys accession process to be hampered.
There were some criteria and requirements that have not been fulfilled by Turkey to be a permanent member of EU, and this what seemed to be the reason
of EU‟s rejection. But however, the European Union still respond and appreciate the Turkish efforts to become a full member of EU, it can be seen from their
response by processing the Turkish accession until Turkish admission as a candidate of permanent member of EU and by holding the meetings and
conferences within the European Council to discuss the Turkish accession in the European Union.
74
Nendra Primonik, Masalah Perluasan Keanggotaan: Politisasi keanggotaan Eropa, 19 June 2010. http:m.kompasiana.compostread1713923masalah-perluasan-keanggotaan-politisasi-konstitusi-eropa.html
75
Ministry of Foreign Affair of Turkey, Relation between Turkey and Greece, 2013, [online database], available from:
http:www.mfa.gov.trrelations-between-turkey-and-greece.en.mfa , accessed at 562014
36
Chapter III
TURKISH EFFORT FOR EU MEMBERSHIP IN PM ERDOGAN ERA
A. The Success Of Turkey Under PM Erdogan
Recep Tayyip Erdogan is one of Turkeys most popular politicians due to his vision of Turkeys economic interdependence in the Arab world.
76
He was born in February 26, 1954 in Rize, Turkey. He is a figure with decisive, brave,and
wise characteristic. His experiences in politics lead him to be Turkish Prime Minister since 2003 and in 10
th
of August 2014 he was elected asthe Turkish President.
77
His impressive political career was run by his party, Justice and Development Party
Adalet ve Kalkınma Partisi; AKP, that was formed by a group of reformist Islamic politicians including Recep Tayyip Erdogan, Abdullah
Gul, and Bulent Arınc in August 2001 and has been dominating the Turkish parlement since 2002 up to the day. The Prime Minister Erdogan was elected as
Prime Minister of Turkey for three times and begun to take office on May 14, 2003 and ended on August 2014.
78
He implemented numerous reforms of vital importance within a short period of time and he successfully made initial gains in
democratization, attaining transparency and preventing corruption.
79
76
The Biography,
Recep Tayyip
Erdogan ,
website ,
2014. [database
online]. Available
from: http:www.biography.compeoplerecep-tayyip-erdogan-37630
[Accessed 29 Aug 2014].
77
Alexander Leivesley, Erdogan Polished His Iron Fist,Huffington Post,15052014, [online article],Available from
http:www.huffingtonpost.co.ukalexander-leivesleyturkey-erdogan_b_4952334.html , accessed at 17 July
2014
78
Encyclopedia Britannica,Recep
Tayyip Erdogan
, 7252013,
[online article]
available from
http:www.britannica.comEBcheckedtopic913988Recep-Tayyip-Erdogan, accessed at 2982013
79
Daily Sabah, People Choose Erdoğan As President, Turkey Enters New Era, 2014, [online article], available
from http:www.dailysabah.compolitics20140810erdogan-announced-as-the-new-president-of-turkey
, accessed at 693014
