Former Vice President of the EU Commission Verheugen Assesses Turkey-EU Relations after the Arab Spring Relations between Turkey, the Arab world and the European Union under the developments in the region were discussed with a meeting co-organized by TEPAV and TOBB-ETÜ.

ANKARA – Günter Verheugen, Former Vice President of the EU Commission and Advisor to TOBB Presidency, spoke at the roundtable meeting themed “Turkish Foreign Policy After the Arab Spring and Turkish-EU Relations” held on November 16, 2011 Wednesday at TEPAV.

Speaking during the meeting co-organized by TEPAV and TOBB University of Economics and Technology, Verheugen assessed the changing relations between Turkey, the Arab world and the European Union (EU).

Putting emphasis on Turkey’s powerful position in the region, Verheugen stated that stability was a key necessity for Arab countries and that Turkey’s guidance and support for these countries relying on its cultural and geographical proximity to the region. He maintained that this should not be done in the sense of a regional power dominating the region, which would not be accepted by some countries. He suggested Turkey and the EU to develop a common strategy for the region.

Stressing that strong global cooperation is needed to solve the problems, he maintained that the next step would be deepening integration especially in foreign policy and security. Establishing joint armed forces could be an example for such integration, he argued.

Verheugen accentuated that the EU was not a “Christian Club” and it embraced cultural diversity. He claimed that it was not a realistic option for Turkey to say, “We don’t need the EU” in response to the blocking of the accession process by the Union’s side. He also addressed the EU’s relations with Russia.

He maintained that the importance of Russia, which the Union considered as a “privileged partner” and “strategic cooperator”, would increase further in the future in the context of Europe’s energy needs and stressed that the deepening of relations between Turkey and Russia would be of the interest of the EU.

The meeting was held with broad participation where the audience involving diplomats, the academia, public institutions, and civil society made valuable contributions and comments.