Of Chaos and Power: Will Europe Become a Strategic Community?, Winter 2003

The debate on European security entered a new stage  with the strategy paper entitled “A secure Europe in a better world” submitted by the High Representative Javier Solana and adopted by the Brussels Summit in December 2003. The objective of this paper is to conceptualize the Union’s strategic posture. As such it is really the first step towards a strategic community, a dimension which had been lacking in the EU. The paper sets out a number of proposals for enabling the Union to play a more effective role on the international stage and contribute more actively to global security and stability. The emergence of a EU security posture however presents Turkey with a real dilemma. That can be a useful development for Turkey as long as it enhances the country’s prospects for accession on the basis of its role as a pivotal country. Yet it can also give rise to concern by undermining NATO, a traditional anchor for Turkish security and foreign policy.  The best outcome for Turkey under these circumstances will require the setting of concrete and achievable foreign policy objectives based on a comprehensive and regularly updated analysis of the new environment; and a flexible diplomacy that has learned to adapt to and to take advantage of this constantly evolving environment.

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