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Listed below are comments made by TURKROCKS between Wednesday, 25th June 2008 and Sunday, 17th August 2008.

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Talking Turkey 04:04am on 17 Aug 2008 * 16 YENDIS 39 ;

Turkey has brought an important economic benefit to the European Union even before her accession to the Union.

In 1996, Turkey entered into the Customs Union with Europe, whereas every other European Union member country joined the Customs Union after their accession.

the Customs Union with Turkey has brought advantages for European Union companies for whom it opened a new market, while creating serious new challenges for Turkish companies. Furthermore, the promised financial support from the European Union was not released and Turkey lived through this process without European Union financial assistance.

Despite the unkept promises of the European Union, Turkey and Turkish companies have been able to cope with the pressure of their European rivals and became important players in their own right.

Today in terms of European Union imports, Turkey is EU's 7th most important trade partner, while its ranks as 6th in exports.

The Turkish economy had the biggest GDP growth rate in Europe with 7.8 percent ...

Within 15 years, Turkey is expected to reach a population of 80 - 85 million. Such a large, dynamic, and young Turkey with a rising purchasing power will no doubt become an even more important market for the European Union.

Turkey would create a safe bridge between the democratic world of Europe and the undemocratic Islamic world of the Middle East as it has the unique position of being a secular country with a fully functioning democracy .

Given Turkey’s achievements since the establishment of the Modern Republic and most notably its dedication to security and democracy, Turkey sets a strong example for Middle Eastern countries.

Turkey’s membership will prove that the European Union stands for common values and ideas rather than only a common religion, and this will help the European Union become a larger, more strategic player.

If you are concerned about the predominant religion of Turkey please remember that Turkey is NOT an Islamic country. Turkey is a secular country with Muslim population.

In Turkey, secularity is the warranty of democracy. Contrary to other countries with Muslim populations, the people of Turkey are free to live as they wish and are not subject to any religious bans, obligations or religious authorities. In that sense, people can live their daily lives without any social or religious pressure from anyone. This is one of the features Turkey is most proud of.

And it was largely Anatolian traditions that really shaped livesin Turkey, not religion. As an example, traditional dances in Anatolia, which date back hunderds of years, always involve men and women together, which is quite opposite to what traditional Islam calls for.
Additionally, you will be surprised to learn that the Turkish national drink is raki. An alcoholic drink isn’t really what an Islamic country is supposed to drink freely, is it?
Talking Turkey 02:54am on 07 Aug 2008
people voted for AKP (Justice and development party ) because of their economic policies and success and their European Union ambition, today they are seen as most Liberal and Democrat party in Turkey.

Majority of people in Turkey do supports Reforms and want more and more democracy more frredoms and rights...and there are still strong support for EU membership...

Majority of people in Turkey can not see any other alternative party to govern the country.
some called AKP as "conservative Pro-Eu party", some called "Liberal Democrats" but AKP's policies actually very close to any Social Democrat Party in Europe.

as in many countries ultra nationalists in Turkey also against European Union.

We see many right wing parties, organisations, newspapers campaigning against European Union all around the Europe, including UK...

so crisis in Turkey wasn't about AKP's "islamic ambitions or Anti-Secular activities", it was all about AKP's "European Union" ambitions...

Nationalists tried to get AKP banned, because AKP was Pro-EU, but Turkey's constitutional court has ended political uncertainty, voting not to close down the AKP.

Now again AKP leader and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan says that the AKP would now seek to push Turkey along the path of modernisation, to prosperity.

“This road will carry us to full membership of the EU,” prime minister Mr Erdogan said. “There is no way back.”

So a political party determined to be part of EU and Western World can not be a Taliban or theocrats or "islamic" at the same time.....!

Turkish people living with Secular democracy since 1923. And %99 of the population doesn't have problem with secularism.

Democratic, Modern, Secular Turkish Republic will benefit to EU and Western World and will be a good example for other countires in the region.
Autumn challenges for EU 01:59am on 03 Aug 2008 Laveni @ 62

as you can see from the posts that there are so many EU member countries that can be called "human rights violator"

human rights abuses in Greece against minorities, immigrants, asylum seekers etc., Racism and language ban on the flemish edge of Brussels, Anti immigrant policies and human right abuses, language ban and religious discriminations etc. in Germany and France , Problems in Italy and many more...

but as Menedemus @ 69 says ;

Greece is no different but could, arguably, be trying to improve it's record on human rights by having joined the EU.

and Turkey also trying to improve its record by being EU candidate and believe me in the last 8 years there has been a lot of positive improvements in Turkey.

same thing for Serbia, just because there are still some Ultra nationalists that supports war criminals, that doesn't mean Serbia can not be EU member in the future.

kkbarrett @ 7

About the AKP party in Turkey ;

the AKP (Justice and development party ) is not some kind of theocrats or talibans and i don't also believe the "islamic ambitions" thing that caused the temporarily crisis..

people voted for AKP because of their economic policies and success and their European Union ambition, today they are seen as most Liberal and democrat party in Turkey.

as in many countries ultra nationalists in Turkey also against European Union.

We see many right wing parties, organisations, newspapers campaigning against European Union all around the Europe, including UK...

so crisis in Turkey wasn't about AKP's "islamic ambitions or Anti-Secular activities", it was all about AKP's "European Union" ambitions...

Nationalists tried to get AKP banned, because AKP was Pro-EU, but Turkey's constitutional court has ended political uncertainty, voting not to close down the AKP.

Now again AKP leader and Turkish Prime Minister Erdogan says that the AKP would now seek to push Turkey along the path of modernisation, to prosperity.

“This road will carry us to full membership of the EU,” prime minister Mr Erdogan said. “There is no way back.”

So a political party determined to be part of EU and Western World can not be a Taliban or theocrats at the same time.....!

Turkish people living with Secular democracy since 1923. And %99 of the population doesn't have problem with secularism.

Democratic, Modern, Secular Turkish Republic will benefit to EU and Western World and will be a good example for other countires in the region.
Let football be the winner 7:42pm on 25 Jun 2008 If you remember the last Euro championship, Turkish team wasn't there but all the Turkish origin people in Germany was supporting Germany with their German Flags

and BBC and British tabloids was doing good comments about Turks in Germany saying that how well integrated Turks in Germany ...

now if you go to germany tonight you will see that most Turks carrying two flags...German and Turkish

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