EU poll: 52% would reject Turkish membership

[jcdf]

I agree that Turkey should be kept out of the Union for the time being. I not absolutely opposed to Turkish membership like some speaking here. Having Turkey join the EU now, along with the problems it would bring it's self, would also massively extend our border into Central Asia and the Middle East. This would run the risk of the EU becoming too spread out.

We should focus on developing the recent accession states Romania and the Baltic States. If further expansion is to occur it should be into the Ukraine and former Yugoslavia.

If a Muslim state is to join, the the first one should be a small state like Kosevo as a test case.

Even if denied access to the EU we should continue to support Turkey in the growth of it's economy and political institutions. It's attempts to bring peace and stability and trade to it's neighbours of Syria, Iraq and Iran should be encouraged and endorsed fully by ourselves.

Eventually Turkey will join the EU, once Ukraine and Georgia have joined it is the only next logical step in expanding the Union.

[SilverSpurs]

It's a fact. We have to have a referendum. What's your point?

We dont have to have a referendum on an accession treaty as all that treaty does is add ", Turkey" to treaty articles. What are you on about?

[sauntersplash]

Sectarian cackology. If they meet the criteria, they should be given the same treatment as anyone else.

What criteria are those, exactly? How about being European, for starters?

Precisely. Wouldn't it be useful if an agreed raison d'etre for the EU was established before we start deciding what criteria to impose? If Middle Eastern states join. It is no longer a European union and all of the cultural and sociological ideology relating to its growth we have been fed needs to be rethought.

If Turkey is invited to join, it is impossible to see the EU as anything but an economic monster which relies on the consumption of poorer states for its growth. Where is it's support for Greece at the moment? Where is the support for Ireland or Spain? Why were these badly run countries allowed to destroy themselves when such a vast amount of their legislation comes directly from EU central command? What exactly is the EU for?

[Interista]

52%

I would have though it would be a lot higher than that. From what I've heard, opposition to Turkish membership runs at at least 80% in France and Austria.

[Rocky]

52% isn't even near a large majority and no one is arguing that Turkey should join the EU tomorrow or at least dam near nobody and it's reasonable to expect that if Turkey ever does improve to the extent that it needs to, to join the EU at least a decent number of people would change their mind.

[johnfás]

It is a bit self defeatist to publish this poll on a thread here as evidence that the people of the EU don't want Turkey to join. What you have is a result within the margin of error of a small sample of people in Europe. It doesn't really show you anything.

[oceanclub]

"The cultural differences between Turkey and the EU Member States are too significant to allow it to join the EU"

I presume that many states in the EU said the exact same thing when we joined.

P.

[Clanrickard]

52% isn't even near a large majority and no one is arguing that Turkey should join the EU tomorrow or at least dam near nobody and it's reasonable to expect that if Turkey ever does improve to the extent that it needs to, to join the EU at least a decent number of people would change their mind.

Turkey's bid should be evaluated the same as anyone elses. The problem is the EU has a track record of letting countries in that are not up to scratch in terms of complying with the letter and spirit of the clubs rules. Accession has been more to do with geopolitical ideas in Brussels , Berlin and Paris than adherence to rules and regulations. Turkey is too big to make the same mistake.

[Dr Pat]

I agree that Turkey should be kept out of the Union for the time being. I not absolutely opposed to Turkish membership like some speaking here. Having Turkey join the EU now, along with the problems it would bring it's self, would also massively extend our border into Central Asia and the Middle East. This would run the risk of the EU becoming too spread out.

We should focus on developing the recent accession states Romania and the Baltic States. If further expansion is to occur it should be into the Ukraine and former Yugoslavia.

If a Muslim state is to join, the the first one should be a small state like Kosevo as a test case.

Even if denied access to the EU we should continue to support Turkey in the growth of it's economy and political institutions. It's attempts to bring peace and stability and trade to it's neighbours of Syria, Iraq and Iran should be encouraged and endorsed fully by ourselves.

Eventually Turkey will join the EU, once Ukraine and Georgia have joined it is the only next logical step in expanding the Union.

Eventually Turkey will join the EU, once Ukraine and Georgia have joined it is the only next logical step in expanding the Union.[/QUOTE]

So let the elite pushing this agenda come clean for once and rename the EU as the Economic Union then. Let them propose that we forget about the cultural aspects of our societies and ignore the fact that we are European.

Forget that the Turkish Empire caused untold confusion and damage in the Balkans, the effects of which people are still living with today. Surely the Europeans in the Balkans have greater claim to accession than the Turks?

As for letting Kosovo in, it should only be left in as part of Serbia and not as the fake 'independent' country that it is pretending to be.

[sauntersplash]

"The cultural differences between Turkey and the EU Member States are too significant to allow it to join the EU"

I presume that many states in the EU said the exact same thing when we joined.

P.

This is such a weak argument it's unbelieveable. There were less than 3,000,000 people in Ireland when we joined. And the EU was a very different thing. With very different aims and privilages.

How about " Lots of Irish people moved to Austrailia a hundred years ago so we should flaunt all immigration restrictions in Ireland for now"? Do you consider that "argument" to hold water?