"Feature - Ozdemir Cem: the German-Turkish Green MEP
By Myria Antoniadou
HE is an upcoming star in German politics and the Green Party. Young, sharp, a good communicator, with strong opinions, who entered politics not because of his Turkish descent but rather his �green views�.
Ozdemir Cem was born in Germany, the EU country with nearly three million people of Turkish descent, making it the biggest Turkish minority in Europe. He was the first German of Turkish background to be elected to the Bundestag and later the European Parliament, a �role model� for progressive Turks but disliked by the conservatives.
In an interview with the Sunday Mail in Brussels this week, the 40-year-old MEP said Turkey must deal with the dark side and the good chapters of its history, while, referring to Cyprus, he stressed that the isolation of the Turkish Cypriots must end.
Cem underlined that Europe must bring Turkey close, said there was no going back from accession negotiations and appeared concerned with the repercussions that a negative attitude towards Turkey may have within the country itself. "
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