The Status of Turkey in Europe

By giving EU membership to Turkey, which Turkey are we admitting? Is this the Turkey that refuses to any responsibility for the Armenian holocaust, the annexation of Northern Cyprus, suppression of ethnic groups (Greeks, Assyrians, Kurds, etc.) or is this the ‘cosmopolitan’ state of glossy Istanbul?

Yes, all people and nations are equal in a broader sense of the word, but it would be a mistake to see Islamicist Turkey as a European state in even in the most liberal context. Although Turkey has a milder form of Islam than Iran, it still sees the world in an Islamic perspective, which is at odds with European values.

How can Turkey envision itself in Europe when it threatens to break diplomatic relations with the Vatican over a historical comment quoted by the Pope?

There are three countries with which Turkey must resolve historical problems and differences, e.g. Greece, Cyprus, and Armenia. It is useless to have discussions with a state that has no intentions to redress unresolved conflicts.

With membership the Turkish language would be granted equal status with all the other languages of Europe, at a time when there definite linguistic persecution within the Turkish state itself. Democracy is give and take, while currently Turkey only wants but snobs the notion that involves granting services as well, i.e. human rights.