EU security ‘would benefit’ from Turkey membership
The accession of Turkey into the European Union was important for the continent’s security, Tony Blair said today.
Speaking following talks with Turkish prime minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Downing Street, the prime minister reaffirmed his support for the Muslim country’s bid to join the 25 member EU.
Mr Blair said the two nations had pledged to “stand together” in the fight against terrorism, a problem which Turkey and the UK were “both, I’m afraid, too familiar with”.
They had agreed “how important it is that we work together to overcome this mutual threat and that we do not allow the terrorists to divide us by nationality, or race or religion”.
And the prime minister held up Turkey’s proposed membership of the EU – it would be the first Muslim country to join – as one way in which to tackle the terrorist threat.
“I know there are many uncertainties in Europe at the present time but the prospect of Turkey’s membership, though obviously some time in the future, I think will be important for Europe and for its security,” Mr Blair said.
“I would like to congratulate the Turkish government and the prime minister for the great changes that have been made in Turkey in the past two to three years as a result of the focus of membership of the EU.
“And rather than seeing this as a concern for Europe, I think on the contrary it shows the ability the EU retains to be a powerful magnet for change and for progress to take place.”
Negotiations are due to open on October 3rd, although the process of finalising Turkey’s accession status is expected to take at least a decade and faces considerable controversy.
Several EU politicians have expressed their opposition to extending membership to a country whose population is set to match Germany’s by 2012, and polls suggest the issue also played a part in both the French and Dutch referenda rejecting the EU constitution.
In addition, Turkey has to resolve the issue of Cyprus before it can join. The Ankara government currently refused to endorse the island as an independent sovereign state, recognising only the breakaway republic in the north.
