Gul suggests that the Europeans should reduce their standards to that of Turkey

A friend had send me this really interesting article, and although I am currently moving a lot, I got a little free time to post this article.

It is really interesting how Turkey thinks that it can boss people around... and the more interesting is that the EU don't make any response to such statements.

Here's the article.


Turkish FM Gul Blames EU Leaders for Plunge in Turkish Support for EU

Journal of Turkish Weekly
Saturday , 08 July 2006

Turkish Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul blamed some European leaders for the plunge in Turkish public support for the European Union (EU).

Gul told a press conference on Friday after his US visit that the remarks of some EU leaders, who cater to their domestic politics without considering the impact of these remarks in Turkey, are responsible for the drop in support for the EU.

A Eurobarometer poll, carried in April over 1000 people in Turkey, found that only 43 percent of Turks have a positive image of the union. The recent figure shows a plunge in Turkish support for the EU over a six-month period, as the corresponding figure was 60 percent
six months earlier.

FM Gul stated that the European side should act responsibly to prepare the Turkish public. Gul noted; however, that the exaggeration of certain issues in Turkey was partly responsible for the fall in Turkish support for EU membership. Foreign Minister Gul pledged that the ruling AKP would take measures to tackle the fall in Turkish support for the union.

Most of the Turkish people are unhappy with the EU stance on Cyprus, PKK terrorism, the so-called Armenian issue and the Greek Orthodox Patriarchy. Remarkable numbers of Turks believe that the EU the cynical intention to divide Turkey.

Unceasing EU demands on the Turkish government and increasing pressure over Cyprus are seen as the main reasons why Turkish people have begun to turn their back to the European Union. The more EU leaders criticize Turkey, the more nationalist sentiment gains ground in Turkey.

Turkey commenced actual accession talks with the European Union in mid-June, following its eight-month screening process.

Turkey's EU accession process is expected to be long, arduous and susceptible to crises, especially on Cyprus. Optimistic analysts predict that Turkey, with its large population, may enter the wealthy bloc by 2014 at the earliest.

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