Shanghai Cooperation Organization an Alternative to the EU for Turkey?

• 11.20.2016, 21:01
•  Europe,  Region,  World

Global Times

Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) or the European Union (EU)? An interesting dilemma that Turkey faces now. Today the President of Turkey Erdogan declared that instead of the EU Turkey can start seeking accession to the SCO.

"Turkey should first of all feel relaxed about the EU and not be fixated. Some may criticize me but I express my opinion. For example, I have said ‘why shouldn’t Turkey be in the Shanghai 5?’" he said, Hurriyet reports. 

Erdoğan also added that he had already discussed the idea with Russian President Vladimir Putin and with Kazakh President Nursultan Nazarbayev.

"The EU has been delaying us for 53 years. How can such a thing happen?" Erdoğan said. 

It should be reminded, however, that this is not the first time Turkey is talking about its intention to change the EU with the SCO. In 2013 then Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan first declared about their intention to become a SCO member and as if joking said: "Come, accept us into Shangai Five and we will reconsider EU." Later on he talked about this, but quite seriously and not like a joke.

"Of course, when this [EU] affair is not proceeding well, as the prime minister of 75 million you start looking around for alternatives. This is what I told Mr. Putin the other day, ‘Take us into Shangai Five and we will forget the EU.’ Take us into Shangai Five and we will say goodbye to EU and leave. What is the point of this stalling?" Erdogan said, Al-Monitor reports. Moreover, he said that SCO is stronger than the EU.

At the moment Turkey in the SCO has a status of dialogue partner.

It is interesting why Turkey now again remembered that SCO could become an alternative to the EU. The answer is simple. The crisis in relations with Russia is over and now the two countries are developing quite good cooperation. At the same time the relations between the EU and Turkey are strained more than ever. If several months ago the migrant deal was a card in the hands of Turkey to blackmail the EU, this does not work that effectively after the coup attempt, when the democracy in the country is as many say "dying".

In such a situation, when Turkey does not have either intention or wish to fulfill its obligations towards the EU for becoming a member, nothing is being left than blame the EU for this stalling and seek an alternative. Of course, it is quite controversial whether one can consider the SCO an alternative to the EU.