there are plenty of facts to invalidate your argument. from official government sources of your own european union.
you may find them here:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/turkey/
it appears the EU does not officially care about any "cultural" differences. At least from the writing on the webpages.
"The Luxembourg European Council of December 1997 "confirmed Turkey's eligibility for
accession to the European Union. Turkey will be judged on the basis of the same criteria as the
other applicant States. While the political and economic conditions allowing accession
negotiations to be envisaged are not satisfied, the European Council considers that it is
nevertheless important for a strategy to be drawn up to prepare Turkey for accession by bringing
it closer to the European Union in every field"."
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/turk...n_councils_.pdf
"3. The Helsinki European Council of December 1999 stated that "Turkey, like other candidates,
will benefit from a pre-accession strategy to stimulate and support its reforms. This will include
enhanced political dialogue, with emphasis on progressing towards fulfilling the political
criteria for accession with particular reference to human rights, as well as the issues referred to
in paragraphs 4 and 9(a). Turkey will also have the opportunity to participate in Community
programmes and agencies and in meetings between candidate States and the Union in the
context of the accession process."
"10. The Copenhagen European Council of 12 and 13 December 2002, recalls its decision in 1999
in Helsinki that Turkey is a candidate state destined to join the Union on the basis of the same
criteria as applied to the other candidate states. It strongly welcomes the important steps taken
by Turkey towards meeting the Copenhagen criteria, in particular through the recent legislative
packages and the subsequent implementation measures which cover a large number of key
priorities specified in the Accession Partnership. The Union acknowledges the determination of
the new Turkish government to take further steps on the path of reform and urges in particular
the government to address swiftly all remaining shortcomings in the field of the political
criteria, not only with regard to legislation but also in particular with regard to implementation.
The Union recalls that, according to the political criteria decided in Copenhagen in 1993,
membership requires that a candidate country has achieved stability of institutions guaranteeing
democracy, the rule of law, human rights and respect for and protection of minorities. The
Union encourages Turkey to pursue energetically its reform process. If the European Council in
December 2004, on the basis of a report and a recommendation from the Commission, decides
that Turkey fulfils the Copenhagen political criteria, the European Union will open accession
negotiations with Turkey without delay. In order to assist Turkey towards EU membership, the
accession strategy for Turkey shall be strengthened. The Commission is invited to submit a
proposal for a revised Accession Partnership and to intensify the process of legislative scrutiny.
In parallel, the EC-Turkey Customs Union should be extended and deepened. The Union will
significantly increase its pre-accession financial assistance for Turkey. This assistance will from
2004 be financed under the budget heading "pre-accession expenditure".
11. The Thessaloniki European Council of 19 and 20 June 2003, welcomes the commitment of the
Turkish government to carry forward the reform process, in particular the remaining legislative
work by the end of 2003, and supports its on-going efforts to fulfil the Copenhagen political
criteria for opening accession negotiations with the Union. Taking into account progress
achieved, significant further efforts to this end are still required. With a view to helping Turkey
achieve this objective, the Council adopted recently a revised Accession Partnership, which sets
out the priorities that Turkey should pursue, supported by substantially increased pre-accession
financial assistance. In accordance with the Helsinki conclusions fulfilment of these priorities
will assist Turkey towards EU membership. The Accession Partnership constitutes the
cornerstone of EU-Turkey relations, in particular in view of the decision to be taken by the
European Council of December 2004."
"12. The Brussels European Council of 12 December 2003, welcomes the considerable and
determined efforts by the Turkish government to accelerate the pace of reforms, many of which
are significant in political and legal terms. The legislative packages so far adopted, the first
important steps taken to ensure effective implementation, as well as the progress in addressing
many priorities under the Copenhagen political criteria and in the revised Accession Partnership
have brought Turkey closer to the Union. Turkey has also made significant progress in meeting
the Copenhagen economic criteria. However, further sustained efforts are needed, in particular
as regards strengthening the independence and functioning of the judiciary the overall
framework for the exercise of fundamental freedoms (association, expression and religion) the
further alignment of civil-military relations with European practice, the situation in the
Southeast of the country and cultural rights. Turkey also has to overcome macro-economic
imbalances and structural shortcomings. The European Council underlines the importance of
Turkey’s expression of political will to settle the Cyprus problem. In this respect a settlement of
the Cyprus problem, based on the principles set out in section IV. below, would greatly facilitate
Turkey’s membership aspirations. The European Council encourages Turkey to build on the
substantial progress achieved so far in its preparations for launching accession negotiations and
underlines its commitment to working towards full implementation of the pre-accession strategy
with Turkey, including the revised Accession Partnership, in view of the decision to be taken by
the European Council in December 2004 on the basis of the report and recommendations of the
Commission."
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/turk...n_councils_.pdf
12-17-2004, 07:02 PM
