"Vatican Influencing EU
The New York Times cleverly pointed out that since the Vatican has been unable to include a reference to “Christianity” in the new European Constitution, it has of course, continued to influence European politics, and the continent’s future, in other ways. Specifically in regard to Turkish membership in the EU, a recent interview with Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger included a statement saying that Turkey, a predominantly Muslim secular republic of 70 million people, is “in permanent contrast to Europe,” and that connecting it to Europe would be a mistake. To accentuate his point, he even referred to the historical Ottoman Empire’s incursions into Europe."
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