"Europe's Manifest Destiny
By Sylvain Charat Published 01/12/2005
For the first time a non-Christian country is knocking at the European Union's door. And it is in the process of becoming a sustainable liberal democracy precisely because it wants to be a EU member. The impact of this on a country which has long been considered as authoritarian, and is now being lifted up towards genuine democracy, cannot be dismissed.
Yet, the prospect of Turkey's membership frightens some. The European intelligentsia and some politicians use this irrational fear to convince people not to accept Turkey, whose citizens are mainly Muslims but whose government and society are secular.
Indeed Islam is the heart of the matter, and is the pretence for rejecting Turkey. If this happens, European countries such as Bosnia would never be allowed to join if ever they want to. Opponents' arguments contradict the EU's newfangled motto: 'Unity in diversity'.
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