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January 2009

We don't need Turkey as a model Muslim state to ward off suicide bombers, thank you. So far as I understand it, a more potent factor for the 7/7 bombers was the conflicts in Iraq and Afghanistan. What's more, Europe already has states in which the largest group is Muslim - Bosnia, Albania and Kosovo. They have problems which make EU membership a rather long shot - but they do have the advantage that they are the kind of Muslims with whom we can do business - secular-minded and pluralistic. They were conquered by the Turks but they're European. By all means, give Turkey what it already has - a close and favourable trading relationship with Europe. But, for God's sake, keep it outside the walls.

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Roger Mortimer-Smith
January 28th, 2009
10:01 PM
I would love to believe that Turkish membership would sink the EU project forever. The irony of the Turks riding to the rescue of European freedom would be glorious, but those who assume that the more member states there are, and the more diverse they are, the less strictly Brussels can control everything from the centre should read their history. The EU has become more centralised every time it has enlarged, and indeed has often hidden in accession treaties measures which passed more power to Brussels, to avoid their being openly debated.

David McKendrick
January 26th, 2009
10:01 PM
A rather mean spirited article. The main argument seems to be that Turkey is Asian and therefore should not join the EU. Why not? There is nothing intrinsic about Turkey (or indeed any Asian country) that makes it incompatible with 'European' values (which are themselves a rather nebulous fiction). We should celebrate the fact that Turkey wishes to join a collection of modern, democratic and free countries.

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