Challenges of triangular relations: The US, the EU, and Turkish accession

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Official URL: http://dx.doi.org/10.1080/13608746.2011.577942

The US government became deeply involved in European Union (EU)-Turkey relations from the mid-1990s and has provided extensive diplomatic support for full Turkish membership in the EU since then. Washington's strategic considerations have been paramount in the US government's approach to Turkey's full integration into the EU. The US policy on this issue has played a constructive role in Turkish-US relations. However, it has also created strains in transatlantic ties, since the pressure the US has put on the EU has angered many European officials, who resent what they view as interference in the EU's internal affairs. The US has become more sensitive to the complaints voiced by European leaders and EU officials, and it has adopted a more subtle approach to the issue of Turkish membership. While Washington continues to support Turkey's European integration, it has also recognised that the accession process is likely to be lengthy.