Obama calls for the EU to accept Turkey

[rov1200]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/798476 2.stm

Turkey with a 99% Muslim population would like to join the EU and has strong support from President Obama to do so. The reason is that an EU with a strong Muslim content would help to blend in with a multicultural Europe.

Do you agree?

[Rollo]

It has nothing to do with Obama.

He should keep his nose out of what does not concern him.

For Turkey to get admitted to the EU it need the agreement of all the existing member Countries. I don't think Cyprus is too keen on Turkey!

[Rollo]

Anyway, on a very small part of Turkey is in Europe. The rest of it is in Asia, so I cannot see how Turkey is eligible to join something that is European.

[Gromit]

Turkey has been a member of NATO for over 50 years without their muslim faith causing the organisation any problems.

The US is keen to keep Turkey as a key ally, and any noises Obama makes to bolster their claim for EU membership will be heard favourably in Turkey.

This is the real reason why Obama is putting in his twopennysworth.

[BilluSugger]

I think the long term plan is to make Israel part of Europe . They've already sneaked them in to the the football & the Eurovision song contest

[R1Geezer]

I think the EU has already given Turkey the list of what needs to be done before they join, I don't think Obama is saying the list is wrong so presumably he's encouraging Turkey to get it sorted.

[terambulan]

no no no no not Turkey.......the price of their cigs will go up.

[VHG]

How big do we want the EU to get.

Shall we invite Paraguay and Vietnam to join.

After reading about that guy from Romania who came here and raped a woman just to go to jail to be able to learn English and get free bed and board I am not sure I want any more countries to join.

In fact the quicker we get out the EU all together the better.

[The Sherman]

lemme get this straight, your condeming roughly 200 million people because of one romanian?

[rov1200]

I quite agree it is getting too large. Whats that saying about the weakest link. As it is there are over 20 different languages to sort out, lump this with all the customs and religions and in the end nothing can be accomplished for fear of hurting one country or the other. We should revert to the previous 6 countries and the others could be some non voting attachment.

[Julnar]

Turkey is nowhere near ready to join the EU in my opinion. It still has major problems adhering to human rights; ask any Turkish gay or transgendered person; it has a growing problem with Islamic militancy which threatens the secular nature of the state and it does not treat its minority religions with the respect that would be expected in the EU.

[trt]

I dont think we need another Muslim Countrys citizens to be allowed to come and live here, we have to many Europeans as it is.

When will it stop?

[Leo-Bloom]

There are almost 72 million people in Turkey. When Obama decides to let the same number of Latin-Americans come freely into the USA then maybe we should consider his suggestion.

[gelda]

If they do join the EU, I wonder which country the majority will end up in, I'll give you 3 guesses :-{

[rov1200]

Britain, Britain, Britain

[birdie1971]

That's easy for Jesus, sorry, Obama to say but the fact is, Turkey is not exactly on his doorstep is it? When the Southern American states throw open their doors and allow unknown numbers of Mexicans, Columbians, etc. into the good old US of A then maybe we should start listening to Jes-- (sorry), Obama on this point.

As a side issue, I welcome Obama. Not because I believe he's a good politician (it's too early to tell) and not because he's black (he isn't, but let's not split hairs), but because he's not George W Bush.

But an American president advising us to accept any nation into the EU in order to further his own political agenda is not the sort of president we should be listening to on this matter.

[terambulan]

Only when Mexico is an American state!