Europe as Seen from Turkey: From a Strategic Goal to an Instrumental Partnership?
Europe as Seen from Turkey: From a Strategic Goal to an Instrumental Partnership?

Summary/Abstract: This article explores whether Turkish preferences regarding the relationship with the EU have moved away from seeing the EU accession as a strategic goal towards seeking an instrumental partnership in foreign and security policy during the Justice and Development Party’s tenure in government since 2002. While the analysis tries to cover the opinions of different segments of the Turkish elite, particular emphasis is put on how current policy-makers define their strategic vision and the EU’s role in it as well as their foreign policy goals, including the accession to the EU. It finds out that as citizens of an EU candidate country, a majority of the Turkish elite define the EU as a transformative but unfair institution. However, seeing Turkey as an emerging regional power and a European actor, current Turkish policy-makers define the EU as an unaware and reticent partner which may face decline in the future. The final section explores the prospects of an improved strategic cooperation between Turkey and the EU.

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