Turkey seeks France Help to enter EU

[Lankan Ranger]

Turkey seeks France Help to enter EU

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu on Tuesday urged France — a leading opponent of Turkey's European Union membership — to help Ankara move its faltering bid forward.

Davutoglu told reporters at a joint news conference with French counterpart Bernard Kouchner that Turkey was seeking France's “active support” for the start of negotiations on a number of policy areas.

Turkey started entry talks with the European Union five years ago, but negotiations on several policy areas have stalled or have been suspended because of Turkey's refusal to open its ports to trade with EU-member Cyprus as well as opposition in France and other European countries' to letting a populous, Muslim nation into the 27-nation bloc.

Kouchner said Turkey and the EU could start talks on three of the negotiation areas, but said Turkey needed to carry out more reforms before the negotiations can begin.

“The ball is in your court,” Kouchner said.

Turkey has said it will not allow Cyprus to use its ports until a comprehensive solution is found for the island and until Turkish Cypriots are allowed to trade with the EU. Cyprus was split along ethnic lines in 1974, when Turkey invaded in response to a short-lived coup by supporters of uniting the island with Greece.

Turkey needs to complete negotiations over 35 policy areas in order to bring its institutions and legislation in line with those of the EU.

Davutoglu reiterated Turkey's stance that it was being treated unfairly by the EU because of its dispute with Cyprus. Turkey complains that the Greek Cypriots were admitted into the EU even after rejecting a UN peace deal to reunify the island — which the Turkish Cypriots had accepted in simultaneous referendums in 2004.

Turkey seeks France Help to enter EU - Arab News

 

[Jigs]

More reforms !?! No Thanks France. You can reform to us.

 

[siegecrossbow]

Didn't France recently pass a bill to evict the gypsies? Doesn't seem like the type that would tolerate a new presence in EU.

 

[Kambojaric]

As long as Sarkozy is in power, France supporting Turkeys accession to EU is not likely. The man is putting it quite simply a racist. Also Germany and France are afraid that the current power of balance in the EU (which favours these two along with Britain) will be disturbed if Turkey is allowed to join.

 

[Hasbara Buster]

Although I support the current government, I'm fundamentally opposed to Turkey's EU membership. I hope the EU will reject Turkey, but I'm afraid they will eventually accept us. They know very well that the EU would become much stronger with Turkey. It would benefit western hegemony.

 

[Gold1010]

What is the feel in turkey?do people want to join the EU or do they not? also do the local population want to be more western or closer to the muslim world?

 

[Babur Han]

What is the feel in turkey?do people want to join the EU or do they not? also do the local population want to be more western or closer to the muslim world?

I don't prefer both Ways, Turkey is not be a Part of Europe or the arabic World. Turkey have it's own Roots in Central Asia, Islam is a Part of our Identity. This should not mean Turkey have to Act as an Islamic State. I prefer close Relations to central Asian Turkic States and Pakistan, the Target should be building an Union which is Similar like EU. Cooperation in such Union should Include Cultural Dialoge, Economics and Defence.

 

[Gold1010]

cool thanks for your opinion

 

[Hasbara Buster]

What is the feel in turkey?do people want to join the EU or do they not? also do the local population want to be more western or closer to the muslim world?

I definitely feel much closer to the Muslim world, but unfortunately I can't say that most Turks feel this way. Having said that, I of course want good relations with every country in the world.

I fully support mutually beneficial cooperation with the West, the East, the North and the South However, that doesn't mean turning a blind eye to western (neo-) imperialism and aggression and massacres in the Middle East and elsewhere. Fair or not?

Because it seems to me that if you don't support anything the West does or says, you are seen as an "extremist" or "anti-western bigot" (or whatever), which I frankly find rather preposterous. So I say "yes" to friendly cooperation and close relations with the West, but "NO" to western hegemony (such as installing puppet regimes in the Middle East, supporting Israel, invading Muslim countries, overthrowing governments etc.)

 

[TrMhMt]

What is the feel in turkey?do people want to join the EU or do they not? also do the local population want to be more western or closer to the muslim world?

Well, i know 60%(in my opinion80%) of Turks do not want to join EU. This union not only economic union. its also cultural and religious union that we are not part of that !! European and Turkish are quite different... We have own culture and religion that they don't want and we don't want to be like them as well.

and muslim world??? whats mean muslim world? i cant see a muslim world. I see only single and alone muslim countries. Most of them have puppet governments !! We want to be closer to our brother countries as Pakistan, Malaysia, Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan etc...

If you meant arabs..... you can try to get closer but they will not !! by the way ......