E.U., Turkey would be stronger together

ISTANBUL - The drive from Ataturk Airport along the western shore of the Bosporus strait unveils a Turkish city that rivals the beauty of San Francisco.

Istanbul represents what many Turks aspire for their country to become and believe could be achieved by membership in the European Union: a young, educated, sophisticated and democratic society.

But alas, Istanbul is not Turkey.

While Istanbul may represent what Turkey could become, much of the country is still a Third World economy with a projected gross domestic product per person in 2008 of $6,710, according to the Economist magazine's annual report. That compares with other developed European economies such as Ireland ($62,450), Austria ($46,600), France ($43,600) Hungary ($13,860) and Croatia ($12,200).

Turkey's admission to the European Union clearly could benefit its domestic economy. But the predominantly Muslim country's embrace by the largely Christian nations of Western Europe is far from certain. The long-festering issue of sovereignty in Cyprus and the recently revived matter of Turkey's role in the Armenian genocide during World War I promise to keep the pressure on Turkey and those who support its E.U. membership.

But the West has reasons to embrace Turkey that go beyond economics and historical disputes. Here's a look at some of the pros and cons on what could be a pivotal decision for the West and the Muslim Middle East.

Pros

• Turkey is a democracy that aims to become the example of what a modern Muslim state can be. To have such a large country anchor the portal to the Middle East would be a great advantage for stability in Europe and the Middle East.

• Turkey has been a NATO ally and has belonged to the European sphere since the 1950s.

• A strong Turkish economy would help create jobs at home and help curtail the large influx of Turkish workers into the European countries that add to the rising concerns over the guest-worker imbalance.

• An economically strong Turkey would put a "cap" over the Middle East countries that border it to the south -- Syria, Iraq and Iran.

• As an ally of the West, Turkey has one of the world's largest standing armies. With about 700,000 troops, it can be a major partner in providing peace and stability in one of the most volatile regions in the world.

Cons

• Because of its lackluster growth over the past six years, much of Turkey may not be able to compete in an open, competitive economic marketplace that membership in the E.U. would require.

• Full membership could cause a major flood of workers into the E.U. countries and further aggravate immigration issues in countries such as France, Germany, Austria and the Netherlands.

• Turkey, with nearly 70 million people, is much larger than many of the current member countries and could spark concern over the voting power Turks would have.

Perhaps the most important reason the E.U. should consider full membership for Turkey has to do with the opportunity for Europe, and the rest of the world, to have a working relationship with a Muslim country.

The world is home to more than 1.3 billion Muslims. Integrating Turkey into the west through E.U. membership would go a long way toward showing both sides that peaceful coexistence is not only necessary to our futures but possible as well.

But if Turkey is rejected as an E.U. member, those Turks who looked to the West for their future may be outflanked by a militant Islamic minority who may well seek partnerships with other countries in the region such as Iran.

The choice seems plain: a nation of 70 million at the gates of Europe as an economic partner or, once again, as a potential enemy.