EU Member Turkey?

I can only hope that Turkey is never allowed into the EU. It would be a disaster. It would not only open the doors to more terrorists, it would bring racial and cultural differences to a boiling point across Europe that would spell and end to EU. A mass exodus of countries from the EU would soon ensue, thus all the hard work put towards bringing Europe together would be for naught. The very thought of Turkey joining the EU is preposterous. Turkey is not a part of Europe. They share no cultural, political or social commonality with Europe. Even without all of this the simple fact is that the people of Europe do not want Turkey to join. This alone should be enough to prevent it from happening. -- John Young

The most disturbing provision of the proposed laws in Turkey is not the adultery issue. It is a law which makes any criticism of the official government position on various issues (for example the Armenian genocide and the occupation army in Cyprus) punishable by law. I am rather surprised at the lack of attention to such an infringement of the freedom of speech. I thought Turkey was a democracy and the EU defended and insisted on freedom of speech. I was mistaken, as neither (Turkish Premier) Erdogan nor the EU commissioner find this frightening law problematic. -- M.G. Ikossi

A Turkey operating within the European political parameters would be a great step towards reconciling west with the Islamic world but it would signal the end to efforts to create a European state that could defend and promote our interests on the international arena. The EU would then need to go back to the drawing table and re-define its purpose of existence as with Turkey in the EU very few would feel comfortable integrating any further. This may sound attractive for US and the UK but not so attractive to those of us who have supported the EU in expanding and achieving the critical mass for bolstering it's economic power. I simply hope that our leaders find a way out of this dangerous territory without enraging Turkey and the US. -- Pantelis Koul, Britain

I think that neither Turkey nor EU is ready for Turkey's membership to EU. The Europeans are unable to get over their historical prejudice against Turks and Turks are in a daydream that EU membership will make them rich overnight without having to go through hard work. -- Sedat Akkurt

Even though our religions might differ, we aim for the same type of life style as you do. At the end, we are as European as you are and have always been... Turkey's place must definitely be in the EU. -- Emre Sungur, USA

As an outsider looking in at the one part of the First World that pays attention to more than just economic expansion, I wish for Europe that you find some middle path between inexorable globalization on the one hand and crude, vicious racism on the other. Right now, Europe looks neither willing to truly assimilate demographically large numbers of Muslims nor able to set a boundary and choose in a humane and moral way to remain Europe. Please at least recognize that obedience to the commercial logic of globalization is propelling Europe into cultural changes that few in Europe really want and many resent deeply, but without intelligent voicing. -- Kevin Rooney

Turkey is a country that has a dynamic and strong economy, even though is has some problems. It will recover by 2015 with the EU's help and then this economy will turn into a dynamo for the EU. When its comes to society, Turkish people are not only the ones you see in Europe -- those have left Turkey at least 30 years ago. -- Mustafa Aydogan, Britain

While Turkey was fulfilling the requirements for admission to the EU, Turkey showed it had clout and would use it to advance its own self-perceived interests as an independent
sovereign nation. Turkey's conduct continually confirms it is not a compliant tool of the West.
Turkey is unique in many ways beyond its geographic location. Turkey is a Muslim but democratic nation. Turkey has a strong, well-equipped, and modern military that is very capable of defending the causes and advancing the interests to which it is committed. But, since the EU has an urgent and existing necessity to defend against the ubiquitous threat of terrorism and Turkey has proven itself worthy of membership to this organization, the
EU needs to accept Turkey as a EU member without any further delay. -- Donald Slazinski