"What's Next for Turkey: The Marathon?
by Habib Siddiqui
(Wednesday 05 January 2005)
'The decision by the European commission shows that Europe is still not ready for pluralism and is worried about inclusion of a Muslim majority country. They can preach about the wisdom behind secularism, but religion still matters.'
On December 17, 2004, the European commission president Jose Manuel Barroso frustrated Turkey�s hope to become immediately a member of the European Union. He urged Ankara to �go the extra mile� � including the recognition of Cyprus � to convince skeptics from Christian Europe about her seriousness to join the Union. Turkey has so far refused to recognize the island nation arguing that it is an issue for the United Nations. French President Chirac has also threatened that if the accession talks, to begin on Oct. 3, 2005, succeed, the Turks may have to accept the responsibility for mass killings of Armenians, something that Turkey has denied, during World War I. Austrian Chancellor Schuessel cautioned that bringing a Muslim country into the EU �must not be decided in an Ivory tower.� He would call a referendum, so as not to be �indifferent to public opinion� in Europe. "
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