"EU should not waste energy on atlases of the past
By Deniz Erocal
Published: November 26 2004 02:00 | Last updated: November 26 2004 02:00
From Mr Deniz Erocal.
Sir, There is no doubt that existing European Union members are entitled to decide whether from a political and cultural point of view they wish to have Turkey included in their Union, as argued by Val�ry Giscard d'Estaing ('A better European bridge to Turkey', November 25). However, to hide the political decision behind a geographical argument is absolute rubbish. There is no answer to the question whether Turkey is in Europe or Asia. Turkey is located precisely in that part of the world where the notions of Europe and Asia were invented. One can see maps of the Roman Empire from the first centuries AD in which regions designated 'Asia' (western Anatolia) and 'Evropa' (essentially Thrace) are both situated in what is now Turkey."
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