Why Austria is right about Blocking Turkey into EU

That's my opinion as well, especially, without a working constituion.

European foreign ministers have finally agreed the terms of launching accession talks with Turkey - but the deal now needs Ankara's approval.

What are the details, Walter? Is it full membership, or something less?

"That's my opinion as well, especially, without a working constituion."

another good point walter. It seems to me we have to get fundamental things like the constitution sorted before we can talk seriously about Turkish membership.

It can only be full membership, if some want it or not.
(Even assuming a deal can be brokered, Turkey will have to wait more than a decade before finally gaining accession status.)

There was a 'breaking news' just this minute that Turkey hasn't agreed yet, opposite to what some Turkish media had already broadcasted

Aparantly Britain (that is the usa) is keen for Turkey to join as a "reward" for being a good and useful NATO member during the cold war. But if you ask the ordinary Brit which they prefer today, Turkey or Russia as EU members, I would think most would go for Russia.

Would be good (or even better) for the German trade as well :wink:

Russia over Turkey? Uhm... Maybe we should take a look at the geography of Europe here:

source: Reuters

take the eurotest

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/programmes/how_euro_are_you

I think the real issue is not whether or not the EU should admit Turkey into the Union. I think that is a rather constructed cause. And I think that the point that Turkey is a "Muslim state" doesn't really change anything.
I see that this is what Trupolitik's op/ed is talking about, basically saying how dangerous a country Turkey is. If those were the grounds on which we should discuss EU membership, we might as well think about having the UK expelled from the Union because it's becoming too dangerous and a breeding ground for islamist terrorists. In other words: I think it is ridiculous.
In my opinion, the discussion is rather about the future of the Union in regards to its borders. When should the European Union stop "expanding"? What is the alternative to expansion? As the standard of living in new EU member countries would hopefully rise (through EU membership, or before, or because of the conditions the EU maintains have to be fulfilled in order to allow a country in or whatever) we would eventually see a situation were some of the richest countries of the world have common borders with some of the the poorest countries. To give an example of what I'm thinking about: take the Morrocan-Spanish border. Especially the cities of Ceuta and Melilla. The US southern border seems to be a kindergarten in comparison.
So the alternatives, taken to the extreme, seem to be: either expansion - starting membership negotiations with each country as soon as the EU has a new common border with that country -, or stopping at some point, creating effectively a rigid, iron curtain-like, "outer border".

But it has more of its area outside Europe than Turkey, too:

Agreed.

No, no no, not Russia. Rather Turkey, even.

Oooooooohh dear... You callin me a snob? Just cause I'm pro-Euro?

"According to the answers you gave to the Euro test you fall in the following category:

Mr and Mrs Chiantishire
This group are Euro enthusiasts; they like all things European from going on holiday to sun dried tomatoes and good red wine."

Harrumph. As if I'm dining on those fancy sundried tomatoes every night.








I mean, do you realise how hard those are to find in Hungary??

Russia will probably break up anyway. The bit west of the Urals could join. Along with Ukraine and Belarus.

If Europe is never to have any boundaries, then the whole world will be European. Watch out USA and China.

Well, I did score as "Mrs. Chiantishire" on that test - or a Euroenthusiast. I'd rather see Turkey in EU than outside of it. I believe it's safer that way. The accession process, with its conditions, rules, and guidelines, did more than any number of human rights enthusiasts for the state of human rights in my country. I believe the same would hold for Turkey.

And Xinjiang. That'll teach those Chinese.