Do you want Turkey in the EU?

[Ancyrean]

Oh, I forgot to cast my opinion .

It's yes, because Turkey has been part of the European political, historical and economic landscape for centuries, because it's good for Turkey, good for Europe, good for the world in general.

[Q Classic]

Personally, I don't really want 'em there, since I think they're more Asian. Then again, I couldn't care less, too, so.

But, I do want to stick it to the Greeks, so. Oh, what to do, what to do...

[VetLegion]

Originally posted by Ancyrean


As a result of all the foot-dragging on the part of the EU and all the "Aaarrrrrgh!!! OMG Turks are coming!!1!" ruckus raised in a number of European countries, the overwhelming support (around 80 %) for EU membership in the Turkish public opinion now dwindled to around 55 %. I find it remarkable that it's still above 50.

Perhaps not surprisingly, as a result of our own probelms with EU support here also dropped from about 80% to less than 50% - it was 47% in one recent poll. Obviously pride is kicking in - "if they don't want us, we don't want them either". This doesn't mean that Croats are antieuropean, they're not, but they are rather offended by the whole delaying business.

As relations warm up I expect support to go up again. It seems to go down as economy gets better too, but that is a much slower phenomena.

[Ecthy]

Ancyrean, what happened in the Eastern part of your country in 1915? What do you call it?

[VetLegion]

Drang nach osten

[Sava]

as it pertains to european politics, I don't really care if Turkey is in the EU... that is a matter for Europe to decide... it's really none of my business

but honestly, it doesn't make much sense to me... Turkey is not part of Europe... how can something that isn't part of Europe be part of the European Union?

Maybe they should change the name to the Eurasian Union... then you could start letting in the former Soviet states that are in Asia...

I'm not joking about the name change... because if Turkey joins, the whole thing is going to be one big joke... the European Union has a country in it that is not part of Europe.

and that little part of Turkey with Byzantium on it (I won't call that city it by its modern day name) isn't enough for Turkey to be considered part of Europe.

[Sandman]

It's not really near the North Atlantic either, and yet it's a member of NATO. Obviously, this has rendered NATO one big joke.

[Sava]

Originally posted by Sandman
It's not really near the North Atlantic either, and yet it's a member of NATO. Obviously, this has rendered NATO one big joke.

ehhhh... not quite the same thing

[Ancyrean]

Originally posted by Sava
but honestly, it doesn't make much sense to me... Turkey is not part of Europe... how can something that isn't part of Europe be part of the European Union?

Maybe they should change the name to the Eurasian Union... then you could start letting in the former Soviet states that are in Asia...

Turkey is already a member of a myriad of European institutions/organisations for decades. Nobody then came up with this basic question you raise here in all of those instances. Perhaps the reason was that the notion that Turkey is a European country didn't strike anyone in Europe as something incredulous.

[Ecthy]

Sava, the European Union isn't defined by geography purely.

OR how can Hawaii be a part of the US of AMERICA, in spite of being located out in the pacific ocean?

[Sava]

Ecthy, that's the best you can come up with? Hawaii?

you are splitting the tiniest of hairs here...

It is not the United States of "NORTH AMERICA"

it is "America"...

"America" is a general term...

Europe is a specific term... a continent... a defined area...

I'm just saying that they should change the name of the European Union into the Eurasian Union (or something else... I just thought of that name off the top of my head)...

Why call it the European Union when you are going to allow countries outside of Europe into it? Sounds pretty stupid to me.

Just for the record, I'm not opposed to Turkey joining the EU at all. If the people of the EU countries want to let Turkey in, that's fine with me. I don't care either way. It makes no difference to me. Personally, I think if more countries can join together into a union and work together diplomatically, it is good.

But if you are going to create an international organization and name it based on geography, you should limit membership to countries that reside with that geographic boundry. Otherwise, get a new name.

[Drogue]

Voted no. The EU is just coming to terms with it's enlargement. Adding more countries that have such a different economic reality to the rest of Europe means that policies designed to help one area may harm another. How can Germany have tax harmonisation with Turkey? If we're to become a superstate, or even integrate closer, we have to tie together nationals with similar economic conditions.

As said before, Turkey also isn't in Europe. I think geography does matter, though this is a secondary concern. I also, personally, don't like adding another heavily religious state, with laws that follow that. It may balance the Christian domination, but I'd rather leave religion out of politics, and letting Turkey into the EU would allow them a say in European politics.

When Turkey has a similar economic reality to France, Germany, the UK, etc., and when it's no longer a religious state, then I'd be in favour of letting it in. I can't exactly see that happening. Similarly I was against the expansion, as I think Western Europe and the former Soviet Bloc have vastly different economic and political realities, that should be more aligned before forming a union together is discussed, IMHO.

[BlackCat]

White smoke.

There are agreement about starting negotiations with Turkey. Seems to have been some bargaining done since Croatia also has joined the queue.

@Ancyrean : It may not be a sharia based government, but any government based upon religion gives me the shivers no matter what it is called. If the latest EU doc we have (should have) voted about, had contained some of those "based upon christian values" etc parts that some tried to fiddle in, I would have gone for a plain NO, no matter what good there may have been in it.

[Whaleboy]

Do I want Turkey in the EU?

[chequita guevara]

Originally posted by Sava
but honestly, it doesn't make much sense to me... Turkey is not part of Europe... how can something that isn't part of Europe be part of the European Union?

The same way Hawaii is part of the United States of America.