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Europe
Turkish Leader Demands Full EU Membership
2005-10-02
Turkey's prime minister said Saturday the mostly Muslim nation will only accept full membership in the European Union, warning Austria's ambassador to drop talk about an associate partnership in the group. The EU foreign ministers meet Sunday in Luxembourg to discuss Austria's insistence that Turkey be offered something less than full membership in the 25-nation EU, calling into question whether the bloc will open accession talks with the mostly Muslim nation on Monday, also in Luxembourg.

Austria has claimed to be speaking in the name of the majority of Europeans in saying it does not want Turkey as a full member. But Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan told Austria its proposal was not an option, Turkish media said. Increasing diplomatic pressure, Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul also urged European leaders to keep their promises and open talks next week on Turkey joining the union, warning that the country will accept no new conditions.
Posted by:Fred

#3  If I were Turkey, I would cut off oil to the EU. That'll teach 'em. [/sarcasm]
Posted by: Alaska Paul   2005-10-02 15:51  

#2  If this doesn't get the Turks into Europe, they could always try Vienna II.
Posted by: ed   2005-10-02 11:56  

#1  The Turks are about to learn that the only nation the EU would give a harder time to than them would be Israel. At some point, even they will have to realize that no how, no way, is Europe ever going to let them in, or ever had any intention of doing so in the first place.

Practically speaking, even if they could pull off some strong bilateral agreements with their immediate neighbors, for their mutual advantage, Brussels would renounce all of them. Punishing all, just to keep their prejudice.

The future of Turkey lies South, not North.
Posted by: Anonymoose   2005-10-02 10:03  

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