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Turkey as a member because of the importance of Turkey for the world and because of the pressure from the US. Therefore the confidence as an important
country in the world system and the support from the US have become the factors of Turkeys persistence for the accession.
2. Domestic Factors
In addition to external or international factors, the domestic factors also affect the Turkish stance in his accession to get the European Union member
status. Among those domestic factors are:
1 National Attribute
In his book International Politics : A Framework for Analysis, Holsti told that the points consisted in national attribute in the foreign policy is the
characteristic of nation-states which consists of territorial size, population, economic system and performance, and level of economic development.
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The geographical location of some state determines the way of his life and his interaction with the other states. Turkey is located in very strategic area
between the western and eastern countries. It is located at the northeast end of the Mediterranean Sea in southeast Europe and southwest Asia. To the north is the
Black Sea and to the west is the Aegean Sea. Its neighbors are Greece and Bulgaria to the west, Russia, Ukraine, and Romania to the north and northwest
through the Black Sea, Georgia, Armenia, Azerbaijan, and Iran to the east, and Syria and Iraq to the south.
189
Geographically, Turkey forms a natural bridge between the
old world
continents of
Asia, Africa
and Europe.
188
K.J Holsti, International Politics : A Framework for Analysis, p: 276
189
Geography-Turkey, 1112005, [database online], available from: http:geography.about.comlibraryciablcturkey.htm
, accessed at 10102014
73
The Anatolian peninsula is the westernmost point of Asia, divided from Europe by the Bosphorus and Dardanelles straits, its area is 755,688 square km which is
97 of Turkey‟s territory. While Thrace is the western part of Turkey on the European continent with 23,764 square km which is
3 of Turkey‟s territory.
190
Some of Turks have the similar looks with European. Turkey‟s strategic location is needed to connect the interest of Western and
Eastern countries. This actually makes this country valuable for the world and could become precious bid for EU. The Turkish people think that the only 3 of
Turkey‟s territory in regional of Europe is enough to be part of Europe and to participate in the European Integration. Thus, this strong assumption as European
country makes turkey feel worthy to be a member of EU and that is why Turkey is still retaining his accession in European Union.
The next point to describe the national attribute as the factor of foreign policy is the performance and economic development of that state. No doubt that
the economic performance was a key point of the Turkish government under PM Erdogan with his AKP party, as the result they have brought the steady high
growth of economy and the modest inflation for Turkey.
191
This growth of economy automatically placed Turkey in the equal position with the China, Brazil,
and India as the giant countries in term of economy. Turkey has undergone a profound economic transformation since 2001. The
World Bank data of 2013 says that Turkey is included in the upper middle income
190
All about Turkey, Turkeys Physical Geography, 2014, [article online], available from: http:www.allaboutturkey.comcografya.htm
, accessed at 12102014
191
the Economist, The Turkish economy Strong but vulnerable, 2014, [online database], available from: http:www.economist.comnewseurope21579491-turkey-remains-highly-exposed-loss-confidence-foreign-
investors-strong-vulnerable , accessed at 9102014
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countries with the GDP820.2 billion in 2013 and it is actually the Europe‟s 6th
largest economy UK, France, Germany, Spain, Italy, Turkey.
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Turkey also applies the economic freedom which is one of key success of Turkeys economy.
Turkey‟s economic freedom score is 64.9, He has improvements in labor freedom and investment freedom. His overall score is higher than the world average.
193
The other important points which show the great performance ofthe Turkey‟s
economy are: Turkey is the world‟s 17th and Europe‟s 6th largest economy. According
to HSBC‟s “The World in 2050” report, Turkey will be the world‟s 12th and Europe‟s 5th biggest Economy by 2050. In September 2010, the FTSE
Group promoted Turkey from „secondary emerging‟ status to „advanced emerging‟ status.
Turkey is currently the fastest emerging market of Europe and OECD. Turkish GDP grew by 8.8 in 2011, 2.2 in 2012 and 4 in 2013. The
average growth rate in the last decade was 5, the fastest among the OECD countries, which grew at an average of 1.7. OECD estimates that
Turkey will be the third highest growing country after China and India by 2017 and will surpass India after 2017 to become number two.
Turkey is one of the world‟s biggest markets with a population of 76 million and a labour force of 28 million. Half of the population is below
192
The World Bank, Country, 2014, [online database], accessed from http:www.worldbank.orgencountry
, 10102014
193
2014 Index Of Economic Freedom, Turkey, 2014, [online database], available from: http:www.heritage.orgindexcountryturkey
, accessed at 10102014
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the age of 30. Turkey has the highest youth population and 4th largest labour force compared to EU-27 countries.
194
Turkey‟s net debt to GDP ratio in 2012 is 36 in 2012, which is well below the Maastricht Criterion of 60. Turkey has been meeting the
Maastricht Criterion on public debt since 2004. Similarly, Turkey‟s budget deficitGDP ratio in 2012 is 2, one of the lowest rates in Europe.
195
Over the last 10 years, Turkey attracted more than 100 billion of FDI and ranked as the 13th most attractive FDI destination in 2012.
Turkey is playing an increasingly important role in the transit of oil and gas supplies. The Baku-Tbilisi-Ceyhan pipeline, the second longest oil
pipeline in the world, delivers crude oil from the Caspian Sea to Turkey‟s Mediterranean coast, from where it is distributed to the world‟s markets.
The Blue Stream, a major trans-Black Sea gas pipeline, delivers natural gas from Russia to Turkey.
According to the leading international industry magazine “ENR Engineering News Record”, with 33 companies among the top 225
contracting companies, Turkey ranked as the second country in the world in 2012 after China.
The Turkish ICT sector is a fast growing sector with an annual growth rate of 14 between 2005 and 2010. According to Business Monitor
International predictions, Turkey will be the highest growing IT market in the period between 2009 and 2014.
194
Foreign Commonwealth Office, Turkey: latest killer facts about the economy, 2992014, [online database], available
from: https:www.gov.ukgovernmentpublicationsturkey-latest-killer-facts-about-the-
economyturkey-latest-killer-facts-about-the-economy , 3092014
195
Republic of Turkey-Ministery of foreign Affair, Economic Outlook of Turkey, [database online], available from
http:www.mfa.gov.trprospects-and-recent-developments-in-the-turkish-economy.en.mfa , accessed at
3092014
76
Turkey is one of the leading countries in the world in agriculture and related industries. Turkey is the world‟s 7th largest producer of fruits and
vegetables, Europe‟s largest and the world‟s 3rd largest frozen fruit exporter and has the largest milk and dairy production in its region.
196
The list of data above shows the big performance of Turkey in term of economy and those fantastic figures must be brought Turkey to be the crucial state
in the world economic circulation. Turkey could no longer be underestimated; the high rate of economy makes this country more confident to compete with the
worlds best economic countries. Turkey still believe that the EU will not waste Turkeys application in this European Integration since Turkey feels that the EU
would incur a loss if they reject the advanced economic country as member states, let alone Turkey is the 6th largest among European Union member states in term
of GDP.
197
Then the reason why Turkey still persists in maintaining the accession is because they feel that their economic performance is much better than some of
EU countries and it shows that Turkey also appropriate to be an EU member country.
2 Public Opinion
According to the Transatlantic Trends 2013 public opinion survey released on Wednesday by the German Marshall Fund of the United States GMF, which
measured public opinion in 11 European Union countries, Turkey, and the United States, 44 percent of Turkish respondents - compared to 48 percent last year
196
Foreign Commonwealth Office, Turkey: latest killer facts about the economy,
197
The Telegraph, Turkey: Inside The New Global Economic Growth Machine 1662014, available from: http:www.telegraph.co.uksponsoredbusinessglobal-connections10902488turkey-economic-growth-
machine.html , 12122014
77
2012 - said that Turkish membership in the EU would be “a good thing.” This is
much lower than the 73 percent who favored membership in 2004. Turkish attitudes in this regard have shown fluctuating support in recent years. The
support for EU membership declined from 63 percent in 2005 to 40 percent in 2007 then rose to 48 percent in 2009, 2011 and 2012. 34 percent of Turks, up
from 29 percent last year and only 9 percent in 2004, said joining the EU would be bad.
198
Turkey still looks more enthusiastic about joining the EU. The EU Ambassador to Turkey Jean-Maurice Ripert said 44 percent support in Turkey for
EU membership is not so bad and it is quite encouraging. Presenting the survey at a conference on Wednesday, GMF Ankara Director Özgür Ünlühisarcıklı said that
the trend of declining support for Turkeys EU membership bid come from mutual frustration in fulfilling expectations and fatigue caused by other candidates
successful accession.
199
The figure of Turkish public support for the accession was down, but compared with those who oppose, the presentation of public support is still more
than the opposing one. By this condition, the Turkish government will definitely prioritize the majority voice because the AKP party, which currently dominates
Turkish politics, still wants to get a majority vote of Turkish population where most of them still support Turkeys EU accession. By prioritizing the majority
198
Todays Zaman, Turkey blames „irresponsible EU countries for waning public support for membership,
16102013, [article online], available from: http:www.todayszaman.comdiplomacy_turkey-blames-
irresponsible-eu-countries-for-waning-public-support-for-membership_329096.html , accessed at 11102014
199
Todays Zaman, Turkish support for EU membership on decline, opinion divided on NATO, 16102013, [article online], available from:
http:www.todayszaman.comnews-326761-turkish-support-for-eu-membership- on-decline-opinion-divided-on-nato.html
, accessed at 11102014
78
votes, surely, the AKP party still has the chance to get much sympathy from the Turkish people and the opportunity to keep dominating the Turkish government.
3 Bureaucracy
The policy or choices in democratic states are usually made in bureaucratic- political context. What Holsti said in his book is that a full understanding of
objectives, decision, and actions must be based on a model of policy making. The policy maker receive information from various government agencies, and the
alternatives they consider are often alternatives that have been drafted and debated by lower officials of various government departments. The policy outputs, then, can
be described as the outcome of the bureaucratic politics.
200
Turkey is a republic country adopting a parliamentary system. Turkish bureaucracy consists of the legislative controlled by the Parliament and the
executive controlled by the president and council of ministers. The article 7 of the Constitution of Republic of Turkey in 1982 states that the parliament is the only
institution that has authority to make the laws and apply them in all aspects of Turkey.
201
Turkish Parliament is a unicameral parliament consists of 550 members as the representatives of 67 provinces. The members of parliament are elected for
five years by direct national election and they have the authority to pass the law proposed either the president or parliament.
202
On the other side, the executive has two structures consists of the president and the council of ministers. The president
is elected by the parliament for seven years. The presidential candidates are
200
K.J Holsti, International Politics : A Framework for Analysis, p: 285-286
201
Turkeys Constitution of 1982 with Amandments through 2002, chap: 7, p: 10, accessed from: https:www.constituteproject.orgconstitutionTurkey_2002.pdf
, at 21102014
202
Dadang hidayat, prospek keanggotaan Turki dalam Uni Eropa: sebuah tinjauan politik,, p: 70
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chosen by the members of parliament by the majority of two-third votes of all MPs. As the head of state, the president performs more in symbolic functions.
Furthermore, the Council of Minister is headed by the prime minister appointed by the president among members of parliament. The Council of Ministers consists
of thirty two ministers nominated by the prime minister and appointed by the president.
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As the head of government, the Prime Minister is responsible for all forms of state policy.
In the bureaucratic structure of the Turkish post-election in 2002, the AKP occupied most of the seats of government because of his overwhelming victory in
the election. The legitimacy of Turkish government was controlled by the AKP Party not only in legislative but also executive. From the 550 seats in Parliament,
the Voters Gave Erdogans party enough seats in the Parliament to form a single- party government in 2002, 2007, and 2011 elections.
204
The votes that this party received were 34.28 percent in 2002; 46.58 percent in 2007; and 49.90 percent in
2011. That total gave the AKP a majority of 363 seats in 2002, 341 in 2007, and 326 in 2011 of 550-seats in parliament.
205
Their success factors are the policies that can attract the majority votes to support them such as keep maintaining the
accession for EU membership and great economic policies.
206
The conservative- democrat ideology is the AKPs choice to form a moderate political stream that
can be accepted by all people either by the Turkish community or international one. The multi directional and multi-dimensional policies that were taken by the
203
Turkeys Constitution of 1982 with Amandments through 2002, chap:109, p: 47
204
“Justice and Development PARTY”, Encyclopedia Britannica, [Internet] available from: http:www.britannica.comEBcheckedtopic1018363Justice-and-Development-Party
, accessed at 20 July 2014
205
Omer taspinar, “Third One is the Charm: Will AKPs Victory Finally Lead to a New Constitution in Turkey?”, Brookings
, June162011, [online article], available from: http:www.brookings.eduresearchpapers20110616-turkey-taspinar
, accessed at 20714
206
Jan Senkyr, Elections in Turkey – Another Triumphal Success for the AKP, Kas International Reports, 2011,
available from http:www.kas.dewfdockas_23602-1522-2-30.pdf?110811115513
, 12122014
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Turkish government are also the manifestation of the vision of AKP Party. By prioritizing on economic development and democracy, the AKP expand its
cooperation network to whole parts of the world.
207
The domination of power in the legislative and executive is influenced by the political parties which also effect the formulation of domestic and foreign
policy. The AKP Party has been dominating the strategic seats in Turkish government which have big influence toward the Turkeys policies. The Prime
Ministers position which is very important seats in the executive and also the 60 seats of the parliament in legislative is being controlled by this ruling party.
Surely, this is the great advantage for the AKP Party in controlling every policy of Turkish government.
In the case of Turkish accession to the EU, indeed, the elites of AKP in Turkish government can withdraw the application and stop preserving the
accession from the EU considering their dissatisfactory response toward Turkish accession, but the Turkish government which is dominated by AKP members did
not do so because they still want to dominate the parliament seats in the Turkish government for the subsequent years, thus they have to deal with the policy that
deals with majority choice. Erdogan and his party are confident enough to rule Turkey in the long term because they believe that Turkey will become a
developed and powerful country under their control, and obviously their confidence due to their capability to develop and advance Turkish economy so far.
For that reason, the Turkish bureaucracy which is being dominated by AKP party intentionally maintains Turkeys accession in the European Union so that the
207
Atika Puspita Marzaman, Recep Tayyib Erdogan : Turki, Islam dan Uni Eropaa, p: 100
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majority voice of Turks that still supports the accession keep giving their sympathy to the AKP party in the next elections.
The factors above are the analysis of the Turkish foreign policy which keeps going on his accession to the EU despite Turkey felt an unfair treatment compared
to other candidate countries. This analysis was based on the internal and external conditions of Turkey from 2010-2013. After analyzing the factors of the Turkish
foreign policy, the motives of policy making as Turkish national interests will also be analyzed.
B. The Turkeys Motives behind Its Foreign Policy
