David Cameron, Britain’s new Prime Minister paid a landmark 2-day official visit to Turkey this week. Stating that he had come to Ankara to establish a new partnership between Britain and Turkey, Cameron said that he regards Turkey’s relations with Britain as “a vital strategic relationship,” adding that Turkey is “vital for our economy, vital for our security and vital for out politics and diplomacy.”
During the visit, the two countries signed a new “Strategic Partnership” document stting out how the two governments will intensify relations in a range or areas, including trade, defense and culture.
Voicing unequivocal support for Turkey’s EU bid, the British Prime Minister stated, “When I think about what Turkey has done to defend Europe as a NATO ally and what Turkey is doing today in Afghanistan alongside our European allies, it makes me angry that your progress toward EU membership can be frustrated in the way that it has been,” adding “I believe it is just wrong to say that Turkey can guard the camp but not be allowed to sit in the tent.” Cameron stated that Turkey could be a “unifier” because of its links to both East and West and called on the country’s government to “push forward aggressively” with the EU reforms it is already making to help its bid for membership.
Cameron likened opposition to Turkey’s EU membership to the French opposition to Britain’s own bid, quoting French President Charles de Gaulle who opposed Britain’s membership in the precursor to the EU by describing Britain as not “European” in terms of its history and people.
While Britain has been a consistent supporter of Turkey’s EU accession since the 1990s, Cameron’s strong support early in his Administration reflects growing concerns among US and many European policy-makers that the slow EU progress, accompanied by prejudiced and xenophobic rhetoric from some corners of the European political and intellectual circles, is pushing Turkey away from the West.