It's the EU who needs Turkey

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2010 19:09

http://www.londragazete.com/yazar.asp?yaziID=7489





BRITISH Prime Minister David Cameron’s speech in Ankara this week showed the coalition government was firmly throwing its weight behind Turkey’s EU accession hopes, with the strongest speech yet from a UK PM that Turkey’s future lies in Europe.



We have been talking about Turkey EU accession for decades of course, almost as long as the Cyprus issue.

But Mr Cameron’s impassioned plea that the Turks should be part of the EU and that the government would do everything it could to ‘pave the way from Ankara to Brussels’ certainly went down well in the Turkish capital.

That Cameron also went out of his way to criticise Israel’s attack on the Gaza convoy ships where nine Turkish nationals were killed, is also noteworthy.

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2010 19:09

Would the PM have spoken out so strongly if the Lib Dems weren’t in coalition with the Tories? Hard to say. But I do believe having the Lib Dems as partners is helping Turkey’s cause, at the very least.

Of course there are many dissenters who complain that we will be ‘swamped’ by Turks seeking jobs in the UK. To which I say, those who wanted to come are already here and surprisingly not everyone wants to uproot to the UK.

In fact, on balance, it appears that the place to be would be Turkey. It is currently experiencing a phenomenal rate of growth regarding business and economy, and is estimated it will have one of the top economies in the world very soon. In which case, perhaps Turks should ask, do they want EU citizens in their nation?

No1Doyen


Joined: 04/07/2008
Posts: 16617

Message Posted:
31/07/2010 19:10

The uncanny actions of Turkish PM Erdogan also mean that politically, Turkey is becoming a major power player in the Middles East, though the West is a little nervous about its cosying up to Iran.

As a moderate Muslim nation, Turkey is the model for which other Muslim nations could aspire to, something we have been saying for years.

With such strong sentiments from Cameron, the EU would be wise to understand this too. As a strong NATO ally, there is none of the suspicion and sometimes downright hatred that other Middle East countries may have for the West.

Turkey and the EU. A subject which will continue for years to come yet. And unfortunately one speech by Mr Cameron won’t change things overnight. But it’s a start.