Turkish Digest Advertising Rates

Annual Advertising options

Monday, December 27, 2004

Mideast hails Turkish advance that could bring EU to its doorstep

"Mideast hails Turkish advance that could bring EU to its doorstep

The European Union�s decision to give Muslim-majority Turkey a date for membership talks has drawn a warm welcome from Middle Eastern states keen to see the wealthy European club expand to their doorstep.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan returned from Brussels to a hero�s welcome after obtaining the date -- October 3, 2005 -- for the launch of the negotiations.
Egyptian Foreign Minister Ahmad Abul-Gheit welcomed the prospect of Turkey�s integration into the economic superpower, which already counts 25 countries and 455 million inhabitants. Turkey�s accession would bring Europe to Arab borders and Turkey would become the only Muslim country in the EU. Europe on the borders of Syria and Iraq would give a new dimension to Euro-Mediterranean relations�.
Turkey still needs to undertake great efforts to match membership criteria, improve its human rights record, resolve its dispute over Cyprus and overcome widespread Turcoscepticism among member countries."

More:Mideast hails Turkish advance that could bring EU to its doorstep