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| Europe |
| French Prime Minister on Turkey EU Membership: "Maybe Later" |
| 2004-09-23 |
| Raffarin fears 'river of Islam' from early Turkey membership of EU PARIS, Sept 23 (AFP) - French Prime Minister Jean-Pierre Raffarin reiterated France's support for Turkey's eventual membership of the European Union but warned Ankara might not yet be ready to accept Western values, in an interview published Thursday in the Wall Street Journal Europe. "We don't think we should tell Turkey that the doors of Europe are forever closed to it," Raffarin told the newspaper, but then said: "Do we want the river of Islam to enter the riverbed of secularism?" RTHT; I have to say, just as a quick comment, that it's one of the most passive-aggressive and bureaucratic versions of the word "never" I've ever seen. |
| Posted by:Phil Fraering |
| #4 Well Brussles says Turkey has met all requirements for accession. France says non. Good luck. |
| Posted by: Sock Puppet of Doom 2004-09-23 10:40:36 PM |
| #3 When the US wanted to send troops into Iraq via Turkey - the French told 'em that if they helped the US, the French would make sure they never got into the EU. Shows what happens when you trust the French. |
| Posted by: ajackson 2004-09-23 9:47:00 PM |
| #2 No kidding, I give him some credit for candor. |
| Posted by: Wuzzalib 2004-09-23 9:12:49 PM |
| #1 And I should also mention that I wrote a 'blog post about it here. |
| Posted by: Phil Fraering 2004-09-23 7:52:44 PM |