Caspian Report - Issue 06 - Winter 2014

elations and Turkey’s EU accession
process.
But what are the key determinants of
German preferences on Turkey’s accession
to the EU This paper argues
that at the present time, national interests
play a major role in the official
German position on Turkey’s EU bid.
A brief analysis of last year’s German-
Turkish dialogue in view of Turkey’s
EU accession process gives some hints
on the German government’s pragmatic
and interest-oriented approach
to EU-Turkey relations.
CHANCELLOR MERKEL’S VISIT TO
TURKEY: CALL FOR THE REVIVAL
OF EU-TURKEY RELATIONS
In February 2013, Chancellor Angela
Merkel visited Turkey accompanied by
an exceptionally high-level business
delegation. One day prior to her departure
to Turkey, Merkel called in her
weekly video podcast for the opening
of a new chapter in EU-Turkey negotiations
despite her personal hesitation.
She stated:
“I think a long negotiating path lies
ahead of us. Although I am sceptical, I
agreed with the continuation of membership
discussions. We are engaging
in these with an open result…In recent
times, negotiations stalled somewhat
and I am in favor of opening a new
chapter in order to move forward.” 9
The German Chancellor’s support
for the reopening of membership
negotiations with Turkey following
a three-year freeze came at the right
time, when leading representatives of
the German business world have been
intending to enhance bilateral economic
ties with their Turkish counterparts
and initiate new partnerships
THE CHANGE OF HEART IN BERLIN PRESUMABLY HAD TO
DO WITH THE GERMAN GOVERNMENT’S INTENTION TO
PREVENT THE POLITICAL DIFFERENCES BETWEEN THE
TWO COUNTRIES FROM AFFECTING THE FUTURE OF
BILATERAL ECONOMIC COOPERATION.
within the framework of the visit. The
change of heart in Berlin presumably
had to do with the German government’s
intention to prevent the political
differences between the two
countries from affecting the future of
bilateral economic cooperation. The
German business world has attached
great importance to the maintenance
and deepening of bilateral ties with
Turkey since the outbreak of the
Eurozone crisis, in view of Turkey’s
dynamic economy. This interest has
also been demonstrated by frequent
visits to Turkey by the German ministers
for economy and other related
departments since in the wake of the
Eurozone crisis. The ministers have
been accompanied by high-level business
delegations. 10 The visits have laid
the foundations for new partnerships.
In fact, right after the visit of Chancellor
Merkel to Turkey in February
2013, important German-Turkish
joint ventures were established and
investments were made in particular
61
CASPIAN REPORT, WINTER 2014
9
. Alexandra Hudson, “Merkel backs new EU talks for Turkey but has doubts“, Reuters, 23 February 2013
10
. Selected visits to Turkey since the start of the Eurozone crisis: 29 April-5 May 2012, Jörg Bode,
Lower Saxony; 13-15 March 2013, Martin Zeil, Bavaria and 4-9 September 2013, Garrelt Duin,
North Rhine-Westphalia.