Friday, November 26, 2004

Chicago Tribune | Europeans in no mood to welcome Turkey

"Europeans in no mood to welcome Turkey
EU membership lacks popular appeal

By Tom Hundley
Tribune foreign correspondent
Published November 26, 2004

PARIS -- Too big. Too poor. Too Muslim.

For most Europeans, the recent recommendation of the European Union's executive body to open membership talks with Turkey goes a step too far.

Although EU political leaders are expected to endorse the executive's recommendation at their Dec. 17 summit, public opinion in most of the EU's 25 member states is deeply opposed to Turkey joining the club.

Surveys indicate that a referendum on Turkish membership would fail in every major EU country."

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