June 30, 2004
HOW ABOUT NAFTA INSTEAD OF THE EU?:
Nato summit sparks Turkish press debate (BBC, 6/30/04)
US President George W Bush's support for Turkey was received enthusiastically by a number of commentators.Mr Bush's visit to Turkey "had symbolic meaning", says Milliyet, indicating the country's "long-term importance" to the US.
The daily is also gratified that the president "stuck to his guns" in calling for Turkey's acceptance into the European Union, despite an earlier warning not to interfere by French President Jacques Chirac.
Vatan agrees, pleased that Mr Bush had urged that Turkey "should be crowned with European Union membership".
It also feels he sent the country "important messages".
"He said Turkey is on the ascendancy... with its democracy which can serve as an inspiration for the Islamic world."
Rather than yoking them to a dying Europe we should forge a closer relation with them. Posted by Orrin Judd at June 30, 2004 12:47 PM
That's exactly what he's doing -- our support for their European ambitions will win us their affection even more after the Europeans snub them. We can go from helpful bridesmaid to bride.
Posted by: pj at June 30, 2004 2:08 PMOnly if at the same time we pitch the offer to Iceland and Norway.
The Europeans wouldn't care if we snagged Turkey, but if the Norwegians joined NAFTA after voting the EU down twice, that'd be beautiful, and probably buoy the anti-EU votes in UK and elsewhere.
Posted by: Chris Durnell at June 30, 2004 5:11 PMSounds hopeful but Turkey seems intent to keep banging its head on trying to get into the EU than join up with the US.
Posted by: AWW at June 30, 2004 7:53 PMHowever, there are reasons against that cannot be so airily dismissed.
Posted by: Barry Meislin at July 1, 2004 6:48 AM