Owen BowcottNovember 21, 2002
Admitting Turkey to the European Union would send a positive signal to the Islamic world and prevent a future clash of civilisations, the leader of the country's newly elected governing party told an audience in London yesterday.
Following meetings with Tony Blair and the foreign secretary, Jack Straw, Recep Tayyip Erdogan called on the EU to demonstrate that it was not an exclusively "Christian club" but willing to include predominantly Muslim states in its ranks.
Mr Erdogan's explicit challenge to rightwing prejudices came as he embarked on an intensive lobbying of European capitals ahead of next month's meeting of the EU Copenhagen summit which will consider Turkey's candidature.
Ankara is pressing to be given a firm date for entry as has been given to the 12 other applicant states - Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Latvia, Lithuania, Slovakia, Slovenia, Cyprus, Malta, Romania and Bulgaria - which are due to join in 2004 and 2007.
Britain is a strong supporter of Turkey's cause, but this month the former French president Valéry Giscard d'Estaing caused uproar by demanding that Turkey never be allowed to join the EU. In an interview with Le Monde, he described Turkey as "a different culture, a different approach, a different way of life".
In his speech at the Savoy hotel in London yesterday, Mr Erdogan said Turkey was better prepared for EU entry than some other candidate states and he challenged fears of a clash of civilisations between Islam and the west.
"Turkey is far more ready to enter the EU than some other countries," said Mr Erdogan, whose Justice and Development party won a landslide victory three weeks ago.
"The majority of the Turkish people are Muslims. Turkey's entrance to the EU will influence and affect how the other Muslim nations of the world view the EU in a very positive way. It will be the best example of how Islam and democracy can function together. Turkey will bring a harmony of cultures rather than a clash of civilisations.
"The Copenhagen summit will be a test because we do not see the EU as a Christian club. [Turkey's accession] will help the countries of the Black sea and Caspian sea perceive the EU in a positive way. The EU will gain a lot and become a major force in the world."
Downing Street said yesterday it hoped "progress" would be made on Turkey's application at the summit. A spokeswoman for the Foreign Office said Britain was "a long-standing supporter of Turkey's desire to join the EU", and praised "the impressive reforms under way in the country".
