"Europe works to assimilate Muslims
By DON MELVIN
The Atlanta Journal-Constitution
Published on: 12/17/04
LONDON � Countries across Europe are struggling in various ways, often with different results, to integrate the continent's rapidly growing and sometimes insular Muslim population into their democratic and generally secular societies.
And just as the increasing number of immigrants is provoking an anti-Muslim backlash, European Union leaders agreed Thursday to offer Turkey a date of Oct. 3, 2005, to begin negotiations on its membership in the bloc.
Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi, who made the announcement in Brussels, Belgium, ahead of today's EU summit, said the 25 leaders were still debating the vexing issue of Turkish recognition of Cyprus, with the Greek Cypriot government insisting Ankara normalize ties with Nicosia before the proposed start date for EU negotiations.
Europe's Muslim population has tripled over the last 30 years, to about 23 million, and experts predict it will double again by 2020. Between 15 million and 18 million Muslims live in EU member countries."
More:Europe works to assimilate Muslims | ajc.com