http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html en-gb 30 Thu 24 Dec 2009 00:34:40 GMT+1 A feed of user comments from the page found at http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html?page=17#comment6 TerryS, maybe what you say is all true but when added to the EU's GDP, Turkey's would make the EU look superficially even larger and more prosperous compared to the US than it does already. And wasn't that the mentality that justified enlarging the EU to include Eastern Europe in the first place, to "Challenge America" as Chirac and de Villepin put it so succinctly? Had the citizens of Europe had a chance to debate and understand the implications of taking on those huge economic liabilities and been able to vote on them, I doubt even one of them would have been given membership anytime soon, not until they came up to far higher standards. But the EU is a dictatorship pure and simple so that didn't happen. Russia is as European as Turkey, even moreso. Since the border between Europe and Asia are defined arbitrarily by mapmakers, certainly in the case of Turkey, why not further enlargement? Most Russians live West of the Urals, the dividing line. Fri 03 Jul 2009 12:46:59 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html?page=14#comment5 After our experience with Poland and other eastern European countries, the prospect of Turkey joining the EU fills me with horror. No doubt the Government would assure us that huge numbers of Turks would not come to the UK, but in reality the most likely outcome would be tens or hundreds of thousands of Turks entering this already grossly overcrowded and overdeveloped country - yet more countryside will be destroyed for housing, yet more cars on the roads, yet more noise and pollution. I am also greatly concerned about Turkish influence on issues such as the teaching of evolution in schools, since recent events have shown that Turkey is a very unenlightened and backward country in this respect. Thu 02 Jul 2009 12:03:15 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html?page=11#comment4 Turkey's leader just congratulated Ahmadinejad on being "re-elected" as his thugs were beating people who were just out on the streets or actively protesting peacefully. What would the reaction to that be in Europe? I'm no fan of Europe but how different can a country's outlook be from the mainstream norm if there is such a thing in Europe and still be acceptable? I'm standing on the sidelines watching this show like a spectator at a ping pong match. Right now I'd say the anti Turkey forces in the EU are winning. All it takes is one member to say no....unless they change the rules midstream again the way they did with Maastrict. Tue 30 Jun 2009 17:16:11 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html?page=8#comment3 I don't think everyone in Turkey is wild about the idea either, but if they do eventually join, could we expect Syria and Iraq to follow? Tue 30 Jun 2009 14:47:34 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html?page=5#comment2 "Oh, East is East, and West is West, and never the twain shall meet."So said Rudyard Kipling. Europe doesn't seem to accept that we are all different and may not want to conform to some kind of monoculture. Or maybe that 'multiculturalism' [as opposed to being 'multicultural' ] means that Western renaissance values may be under threat. If one took the 'bridge' argument to its logical conclusion one could argue that India, Egypt, Pakistan, Afghanistan and Iraq should be part of the EU as they are, to greater or lesser extents, 'bridges' between Europe, Asia and Africa. But what would this actually achieve ? Do these countries want to change and be part of the anti-democratic bureaucracy of the EU ? Would it reduce differences and increase peace between peoples ?? One only has to look at Israel to see what a political union of geography without the support of the will of the people can result in. But I do find it hilarious that the Tories are now whingeing about inward Eastern Europe migration, when they were all in favour of enlargement to include accession countries, to help put a sprag in the wheel of 'federalism'. Be careful what you wish for.. Tue 30 Jun 2009 11:09:42 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html?page=2#comment1 Austria is also very opposed to Turkey joining. America's endorsement probably is another negative factor in Turkey's accession if for no other reason than much of Europe's perverse knee-jerk attitude towards anything related to American policy goals. The decision is at best probably ten to fifteen years away and a lot can happen between now and then but as of today, it doesn't look good. Tue 30 Jun 2009 10:00:42 GMT+1 http://www.bbc.co.uk/blogs/worldtonight/2009/06/the_swedish_pm_on_the_turkish.html?page=0#comment0 This post has been Removed Tue 30 Jun 2009 05:08:28 GMT+1