Peace and Security at Stake – An Analysis of the Security Arguments Justifying the EU enlargement to Turkey

The purpose of this master’s thesis is to analyse how the EU enlargement to Turkey is justified with security arguments. Historically, security has been an essential reason for EU enlargement and European integration in general and there is a reason to believe that security justifications exists also when it comes to further enlargement. This study focuses on security argumentation of the European Commission which is examined by analysing the speeches of European Commissioner for Enlargement Mr Olli Rehn. The theoretical framework of this study is based on constructive understanding of security according to which security gets its meaning through a linguistic process of securitization. Something becomes a security issue only after it is labelled as such by the political elite. This study focuses on the securitization process regarding the EU enlargement to Turkey and analyses what kinds of issues are raised to the agenda of security. Research data which consists of the speeches by EU Commissioner for Enlargement is analysed with speech act analysis that is based on the theory developed by J.L. Austin. This study illustrates that peace and security are still important justifications for EU enlargement. In post-Cold War era European integration and EU enlargement have been justified with the threat of fragmentation of Europe and even with the possibility of recurrence of Europe’s warlike past. In the case of Turkey the security justifications for enlargement derive from the changed European and international security environment, not from the past. Based on the analysis there are three main security related justifications to the EU enlargement to Turkey articulated by the Commissioner for Enlargement. Firstly, the enlargement is justified with the need to promote intercultural relations and prevent the clash of civilizations. Secondly, the enlargement is presented as a necessity because of its stabilizing effect on Europe and its neighbouring regions. Thirdly, the enlargement is justified with its positive effect on the EU’s role as a global security actor. The results of the analysis indicate that the European Union is taking a ‘next step’ in its European peace project and thus in its enlargement policy as well. The accession of the Central and Eastern European countries in 2004 and 2007 finally ended the division of Europe into the East and the West and finalized the project of creating durable peace in Europe. With the enlargement to Turkey the EU aims to continue the peace project by extending the European security community into new area. Equally important for the EU is to promote security and stability in its neighbourhood just outside EU borders as well as in the global scale. Turkey is considered to be a key factor in that project. Turkey as a Muslim country inside the EU would enhance the relationship between the West and Islam and it would be a benchmark of democracy to the rest of the Middle Eastern states. Finally, the enlargement would make the EU a more capable actor to take greater responsibilities in security matters that relate not only to Europe but the whole international community