Visa restrictions are shutting Turkey out of the EU
The idea of Turks flooding into the EU is absurd, yet ours is the only candidate country to be kept outside the Schengen zone
Egemen Bağış
guardian.co.uk, Saturday 14 July 2012 12.00 BST
Istanbul enjoyed the honour of being recognised as the European capital of culture in 2010, and the European capital of sports this year. Such events not only highlight Turkey's strong national identity and fundamental European values, but also show how this culturally diverse and geographically unique place defies categorisation, straddling east and west, custom and modernity – and is the quintessential European city.
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