Silvio Berlusconi has expressed his hope to bring Israel into the EU for “the Judeo-Chrisitan culture is the basis for European culture”. If Turkey and Israel become EU members a truly unified foreign policy will remain a dream and Europe will not be able to play an important role in the international scenario.

In Europe millions of people have a turkish background. For their integration into the european society, it is of great importance wether and when Turkey will be granted accession to the European Union.

January 19 marks the third anniversary of the death of the Armenian Hrant Dink, writer and journalist killed in 2007 of the offices of the newspaper “Agos“, which he founded.

On October 14th has been presented in Brussels the 2009 Report prepared by the European Commission for the Enlargement Strategy: although the document is moderately positive about the improvements needed to make Turkey eligible to entry into the EU, the European Commissioner for Enlargement Olli Rehn underlined that respect for human rights is a condition sine qua non for EU membership and the basis of the process of democratization.

According to a survey conducted in 2005 by Eurostat, religion is a fundemental aspect of life for 53% of those asked. In general, 49.5% of European citizens are Catholic, 13.7% are Protestant, 8.6% are members of the Orthodox Church, 15.7% are Muslim, 0.4% are Israelite and 25.4% declares to be “not religious”. However, when it comes to mosques, then they all return to the fold and say: “yes, we are Catholic”

By explicitly enshrining the earned nature of citizenship, the government implicitly regulates and calls to order existing citizens. The experience of migrant women from Turkey offers an alternative.

Europe’s desire to play the role of a great power might miss the opportunities that Turkey’s application to access to the EU is providing her with.

Turkey applied for associate membership of the European Economic Community in 1959. Half a century in the waiting room and the enlargement prospects for Turkey still at a standstill. Turkey applied before Ireland, the UK and Denmark, but negotiations have experienced a death-slow tempo and there is not a clear and straightforward path for the long standing relationship between Turkey and the EU. Indeed, it was not until December 1999 when EU Helsinki Council recognises Turkey as an EU candidate country on an equal footing with other candidate countries and not until October 2005 when the formal opening of Accession negotiations with Turkey started.

“Turkey does not want to become the biggest refugee camp in the world” said the Turkish minister for European Affairs, Egemen Bagis, as Turkey is facing steady pressures emanating from Greece and the EU according to which Turkey does not fight efficiently enough against illegal immigration.

On 8 July, Turkish President Abdullah Gul approved a law giving civilian courts the power to prosecute military personnel who might threaten national security. He insisted on the relevance of this legislation as an essential part in the EU membership talks.