Turkey 'Will Probably Never Be EU Member'

THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: Turkey will probably never become a member of the European Union because of stiff opposition and "prejudiced" attitudes from current members, a senior Turkish minister has admitted.

In the first such admission, Egemen Bagis, minister for European Union affairs, said that his country had to accept that its long cherished goal of joining the EU was likely to end in disappointment.

Turkey would, he said, probably end up with a similar status as Norway in relation to the EU, which is not a member but has access to the single market through free trade agreements.

"In the long run I think Turkey will end up like Norway. We will be at European standards, very closely aligned but not as a member," he said, adding that his prediction would only change unless attitudes changed towards his country, which would be the first Muslim nation to join the bloc.

Mr Begis, who is also Turkey's chief negotiator with the EU, said that despite modernising and growing its economy, his country was the victim of "prejudice" in its treatment by the EU and its defeated Olympic bid. » | Alex Spillius, Yalta | Saturday, September 21, 2013

Islam Europe’s Reality: Turkey’s EU Minister

HÜRRIYET DAILY NEWS: EU Minister Egemen Bağış says Islam is a reality for the EU and Europeans won’t get anywhere by burying their heads in the sand

Islam is a reality for the European Union and Europeans won’t get anywhere by burying their heads in the sand, EU Minister Egemen Bağış said yesterday.

“It is Islamophobia rather than Islam that is visible in France and across Europe,” Bağış said, referring to French far-right leader Marine Le Pen’s recent statement that Islam was “more visible” than before in France. “We know Ms. Le Pen’s statements on Turkey and our values but we don’t care too much.

Some 11 percent of the French population is Muslim and 8 to 9 percent of the population of EU member states are Muslim. This number will increase to 15 percent across Europe in 2030. Like a former German President said, Islam is a reality of the European Union. They won’t get anywhere by burying their heads in the sand,” Anatolia news agency quoted Bağış as saying. Wulff’s words in 2010 » | Hürriyet Daily News | Ankara | Tuesday, April 02, 2013