Turkey and EU

[Colwyn]

Erdogan is currently in Brussels talking to EU Commission President Barrosa and EU Council President Rompuy. He wants to come back with a fixed timetable for Turkey's accession to the EU. I reckon he will be lucky to get away without the EU putting Turkey's bid on hold for several months.

[LeeGlo]

Gone on a charm offensive to try and repair the damage he's done to his reputation at home no doubt. So he can come back and say "see how much progress I've made for Turkey".

[GordonA]

Bearing in mind the EU's somewhat "zany" decisions on criminals human rights, against those of law-abiding citizens, I would not be surprised if the doors to full membership were thrown open.

[Colwyn]

Gordon, I think you're talking about decisions by the European Court of Human Rights. This is not an EU institution so has nothing to do with todays's talks. Still, best not to let inconvenient facts get in the way of a good rant.

[kevin3]

I  suspect RTE doesn't want EU membership. I think he and Morsi have/had other plans.
Morsi's plans unravelled because he implemented them too rapidly.RTE did the same thing
but he has a stronger power base and is managing to hold on at the moment
EU membership would invite far too much scrutiny and transparency.
If Islamist extremists managed to defeat Assad I don't think Syria would become Christian.!!
Who is arming the extremists.??

Just my thoughts.

[Ian]

No surprise to anyone except possibly the subject of the criticism !

http://uk.mobile.reuters.com/article/idUKBREA0K1J920140121?irpc=932

EU leaders said they had told Erdogan of their concerns.

"It is important not to backtrack on achievements and to ensure that the judiciary is able to function without discrimination or preference," European Council President Herman Van Rompuy told reporters.

European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told Erdogan at a joint news conference that respect for rule of law and independence of the judiciary were basic principles of democracy and essential conditions for EU membership.

[GordonA]

Gordon, I think you're talking about decisions by the European Court of Human Rights. This is not an EU institution so has nothing to do with todays's talks. Still, best not to let inconvenient facts get in the way of a good rant.

And I WAS actually conscious when I wrote that !!  :

Still, ne'er mind, eh ??