Commenting on Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s idea to let Turkey to join the Customs Union, Aydin Sezer, a global trade expert, said that realization of the initiative will not happen in the near future due to Turkey's obligations within the framework of the EU.
Turkey was realizing the common customs zone with the EU, so it would legally be impossible for Turkey to join the Customs Union. Sezer noted that Turkey was more Europe-oriented.
Togrul Ismail, a docent of the Faculty of International Relations of the TOBB University of Economics and Technology, said that becoming a member of the European Union was a priority goal for Turkey. German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed revival of talks on 20 articles after a temporary pause taken since the German elections.
Ismail pointed out that the offer to grant Turkey membership in the Customs Union was very interesting, but the structure was only in the stage of being formed. Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus could form custom-free relations with other countries.
The expert emphasized that each member of the Customs Union had interests for the future and Turkey’s part would be complicated. He reminded that Russia considered the Customs Union a political formation that will transform into a political alliance in the future. Turkey may find such alliance interesting too.
Ismail did not rule out that the statement served as a message of Turkey to Europe, aka a tool of pressure on Europe. The official said that a lot of details from the talks of Presidents Abdulla Gul and Nursultan Nazarbayev were missed.
Aydin Sezer, a global trade expert, said, commenting on Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev’s idea to let Turkey to join the Customs Union yesterday, that realization of the initiative will not happen in the near future due to its obligations within the framework of the EU.Turkey was realizing the common customs zone with the EU, so it would legally be impossible for Turkey to join the Customs Union. Sezer noted that Turkey was more Europe-oriented.Togrul Ismail, a docent of the Faculty of International Relations of the TOBB University of Economics and Technology, said that becoming a member of the European Union was a priority goal for Turkey. German Chancellor Angela Merkel proposed revival of talks on 20 articles after a temporary pause taken since the German elections.Ismail pointed out that the offer to grant Turkey membership in the Customs Union was very interesting, but the structure was only in the stage of being formed. Kazakhstan, Russia and Belarus could form custom-free relations with other countries.The expert emphasized that each member of the Customs Union had interests for the future and Turkey’s part would be complicated. He reminded that Russia considered the Customs Union a political formation that will transform into a political alliance in the future. Turkey may find such alliance interesting too.Ismail did not rule out that the statement served as a message of Turkey to Europe, aka a tool of pressure on Europe. The official said that a lot of details from the talks of Presidents Abdulla Gul and Nursultan Nazarbayev were missed
