Friday, September 23, 2005

Newswise | American Professor Takes Part in Turkey's Quest for EU Membership

"American Professor Takes Part in Turkey's Quest for EU Membership
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Life News (Social and Behavioral Sciences) Keywords
EUROPEAN UNION, TURKEY, KURDS, EU

With all 25 European Union member states agreeing to start entry talks with Turkey on Oct. 3, political science professor Michael Gunter says one great lie may be laid to rest and 'the greatest hope to solve the Kurdish problem in Turkey in 100 years' is poised to emerge.

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Dr. Michael Gunter
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Newswise — As the only American among a few hundred participants in this week's Second International Conference on EU, Turkey and the Kurds, Gunter spoke as one of a dozen advisors to the EU Turkey Civic Commission seeking to encourage EU members to allow the Muslim state into the union.

'There are two overwhelming reasons why Turkey should be allowed to join the EU,' said Gunter, ranked by Campus Watch as one of the top university-based specialists on the Middle East. 'First, it would solve the Kurdish problem because Turkey would have to meet the EU standards of democracy. Second, it would put to rest the lie that Christian and Muslim nations will always be in conflict."

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