Overview

Turkey has long been a bridge between East and West, but nowhere is this dual role more apparent than in the complex negotiations surrounding Turkey's desired accession to the European Union. Turkey has recently begun negotiations with the EU on the most stringent, demanding and subjective terms ever faced by any EU candidate. The next decade, in which Turkey will negotiate its accession, will be momentous. The fate of Turkey's bid for membership will be closely watched in Europe, the United States, the broader Middle East, the Muslim world, and Eurasia. While the reforms Turkey will make to adjust to the EU will be largely domestic, foreign and security policy on both sides will help set the tone for the accession period. As Turkey learns to play within the EU mindset and procedures, so must the EU become accustomed to marriage with a geopolitical heavyweight. In this timely and important book, diplomat Burak Akcapar suggests a strategic framework for thinking about the foreign and security policy of Turkey, Europe, and the United States. If Turkey joins the EU, this multiregional actor will help connect various strategic basins and cultures, generate a credible pull factor for benign change in its neighborhood, assist Europe in its aspirations to become a global actor, and fulfill the United States' quest to find a credible transatlantic partner. Everyone who is interested in peaceful relations between East and West should read this book to better understand Turkey's bid for EU membership.

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9780742554009

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Reviews

Turkey's bid for membership in the European Union could be one of the most important geopolitical events of the next few decades, with profound consequences for Europe's identity, the security and politics of Eurasia and the Middle East, and the debate about democracy in Muslim countries. Burak Akcapar, as one of the sharpest and most astute members of a new generation of Turkish diplomats, has a unique ringside seat on this unfolding drama. His book is worth reading for anyone with an interest in Europe's future.--Mark Leonard

Why does Turkey insist on EU membership? And why should the EU be interested in making Turkey a member? Skeptics would say that Turkey and the EU should each go its own way. Ak apar, a foreign policy practitioner, asserts that this is neither easy or possible. Turkey, the European Union, and the United States are tied to each other in important ways, as this seasoned diplomat explains with aptitude and clarity. A must-read for anyone who is for or against Turkey's EU membership.--Soner Cagaptay

Author Information

Burak Akcapar is a Turkish diplomat and scholar.

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