ABSTRACT
Turkey and the West Balkans, both geographically part of Europe yet less part of its mainstream, were regularly discussed at Wilton Park since the late 1980s, mostly through the prism of their relations with the European Community (EC)/European Union (EU). Turkey’s strategic importance became increasingly apparent in light of the Gulf Wars, rise of Islamic fundamentalism, geography, size, and its importance for energy security, trade and investment. With enlargement to Central Europe completed, attention turned to Turkey’s EU accession. However, disagreements over Cyprus and democratic backsliding meant Turkey’s accession prospects lost momentum. Meanwhile, some West Balkan countries, notably Croatia, leapfrogged over Turkey in the accession queue. Although Wilton Park did not cover the civil war in the former Yugoslavia in any depth, it was the site for opposition discussions immediately before the Miloševic regime’s fall in 2000. Afterwards, building successful democratic transitions in the West Balkans, notably through strengthening an independent media, was discussed. As the regional situation became ‘normalised’, West Balkan countries’ prospects for integration with the EU and NATO rose up the agenda. However, as EU enlargement fatigue set in, key regional challenges such as crime, education, and respect for the rule of law were addressed.
