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Carl Bildt slams EU president over Turkey
Published: 16 Nov 10 12:25 CET | Print version
Online: http://www.thelocal.se/30250/20101116/
Sweden's foreign minister Carl Bildt roundly criticised European Union President Herman Van Rompuy on Tuesday for omitting to name Turkey in discussions over EU enlargement.
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And it's not a good thing," Bildt told Swedish public radio, referring in particular to a speech by Van Rompuy in Berlin last week.
In a blog entry posted on November 10th -- a day after the speech given in connection with the anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall -- Bildt said Van Rompuy's "silence on Turkey is as significant as it is remarkable."
"He is the European Council's chairman and must represent the policy the European Union decided on," he continued.
Sweden, and Bildt in particular, is a strong supporter of Turkey's entry into the European Union.
Turkey began accession talks in 2005, but has since only succeeded in closing one of 35 chapters that need to be negotiated, with 18 blocked either by the EU as a whole, by the Greek Cypriot-led government, or by France.
When asked on Tuesday about the fact that that Van Rompuy had never visited Turkey nor met with Turkish officials, Bildt said "I expect it is on his agenda to have such a meeting."
What do you think? Leave your comment below.
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Turkey is a new republic comes from the far east, under the ottoman empire...far from being european...and for those of you know..the ottomans were not in support of a healthy europe...so my vote is no...they belong where they are..
Sweden has a very large Syriak Aramayik population. Why? Their homeland is in southern Turkey along the Kurdish border. Turkey began ethnic cleansing of this group due to their Christian religion. Yes, ethnic cleansing. Sweden offered refuge along with other countries. Sweden often condems Israel for displacing the Palestinians. Where is the continued outrage against Turkey?
Turkey has begun to systematically turn from their secular government in favor of a government more congenial to Islam. This was demonstrated in their last election cycle.
During the lead up to the Iraq war, Turkey, a NATO member, refused to allow US troops to move through their borders. It doesn't matter if you are for or against the war. This shows that Turkey only abides by their treaties when it suits them and when it doesn't, they side with their neighbors to the south. Not a good track record for EU membership.
Several thousand years ago, as the story goes, the Greeks defeated Troy using a wooden horse filled with Greek soldiers. Now, the Turks get to return the horse to the EU.
"like Mongol Turks...whom in history have been barbaric and low class citizens..."
You also know what was happening in Europe during the middle ages, right?
You also know that 60 years ago almost all Europeans were killing each other and some were baking Jews in the ovens, right?
You also know that just couple of years ago people who used to live together for many years in Balkans were cutting their throats, right?
Can you see increasing racism all over Europe, right?
Civilization, modernity, and technology are not given to or under the control of any group of people or nation. These are oscillating between east and west through the history. On the other hand it feels kind of OK to me that modernity and civilization as defined today in Europe can not enter inside the borders of Turkey. Turkey should evolve in a much more different way towards higher standards.
Islamization.
Turkey wants to join the EU because it has some benefits out of it. Not because they feel themselves as Europeans.That's how the things work in real life.
@quadratic, I agree with you.''Civilization, modernity, and technology are not given to or under the control of any group of people or nation. These are oscillating between east and west through the history. On the other hand it feels kind of OK to me that modernity and civilization as defined today in Europe can not enter inside the borders of Turkey. Turkey should evolve in a much more different way towards higher standards.''
@captainkanga, as far as you know, does majority of EU trust Bulgaria,Estonia,Latvia,Lithuania,Poland,Romania,Slovakia,Slovenia?
Let me tell you the inside story as a Turkish person:
People in Turkey moved on and forgot long ago about the EU-related stuff.
Yes there was a time about a decade ago where such a possibility was more lively, but people in Turkey now know that after years and years of talk, EU is a christian club, and Turkey is just too culturally diverse to be fitted in the narrow EU ideology.
At the current pace, give it a decade or two and it will be EU asking Turkey to join it, if the latter accepts which I think shouldn't.
So nobody wants to join your EU, so you can keep it all you want, thank you very much.
Furthermore, I guess hatred and discrimination are back in play after 60 years of polyanna play with new artificial enemies and hatred against anyone or anything remotely related to a religion which is basically have the same grounds with others besides poor practices due to lack of education and wealth. See yourself above other human beings and lecture about human rights and stuff. Good for you!
We are also pre-dominantly Muslim, completely secular (more than most of EU countries) with a working democracy, have roots in Far-East and all over Middle-Asia all the while having a completely western everyday life.
Give it sometime and it will only get better.
Sure Europe is nice to visit from time to time, but Turkey is really just much more than just EU.
So have fun in EU, we prefer to visit from time to time but not to stay permanently.
Oh WE ARE EUROPEAN, WE ARE THE BEST.
get a life, five years time and 90% of European countries will be counted as second world countries, and for along time but only to third world countries. let's just wait for far east to emerge as the new super power...what a Scenario, isn't it :)
enlargement of EU.Obviously,he doesn't read history because Turkey in the old
was known as Asia Minor and except for " Constantinople " and the " Sophia or'
church ,which is now known as Istanbul and the " what mosque " Turkey was never anywhere near Continental Europe.Perhaps,carl Bildt should have consulted
the people of Armenia before critising The EU PRESIDENT.
To all the Turks out there 'no offence' but i'd be happy to stay Turkish and build what you have over the last 50 yrs and keep going...forget EU and USA...
I dont know who you are or what you are. But it is clear for me that you are i kind of incompitent. To talk about Turkey as a barbars, and a country whou doesnt fits into EU with so basic and low reasons as you come with, shows only that you wear a horse glasses and you are conservative in your mind..
To talk about Turks as barbars because of the Ottoman empiria is just one single reason why I dont take you seriusly.. Read more about what Turks are and how the Ottomans were.. And read it from many different articles. That will not change your mind, but atleast you will have stronger arguments..
@quadratic
Thank you for a great comment. I know and agree about that Turkey isnt perfect. But from a historicle perspective does almost all countris have some negative aspects..
So thank you for a good comment about the past in Europe..
In an aside to an aide, the foreign minister was overheard to say, "They can stick their European Union up their ……. (lost in translation).
Greece is the birthplace of human democracy and civilisation so please dont educate me..and Istanbul (former) constantinople was the heart of the Greek Byzantine flourishing period...so pls dont embarrass yourself..
Turks cannot be trusted...BE WARE.
"Since when is Turkey a part of contribiting to Europe's history?"
Quite right, what have the Turks done for us?
Well there's the Byzantines.
Oh yes, apart from the Byzantines, what have the Turks done for us?
Well, there's the Hittites and the Ottomans.
Ahhh, ok, apart from the Byzantine, Hittite and Ottoman empires, what have the Turks done for us?
Well, the Haga Sofia is a very nice building.
Quite right, ok, apart from the Byzantine, Hittite and Ottoman empires, and the Haga Sofia, what have the Turks done for us?
Monty Python fans know the rest
Your theory is just perfect..
Since 12th century Turks have dwelled in certain parts of Europe, when the Finns and Magyars(Hungarians that have a Turkic origin as well) were still coming from the central asia. Most Eastern European nations have roots in the farther east, let alone the mediterranean nations mixture with the north africans. But still I am wondering since when Europe has become a RACIST Union to label someone as being "not european enough" when it is clearly part of europe through centuries long affairs with other empires/states of europe. for your information, Turkish people have been accepted as a consolidated member of the european family since 1862 PARIS conference... so, go learn your history books correctly and take that white KKK mask off your head please...
if you were to disagree turkish membership for economic reasons, on which the union is based, i might have not viewed you being as such a blind racist, but even then i would have to tell you that turkey at the moment produces lots and lots of products of daily use for the whole EU; you wouldn't be able to see this fact of course as it would be hard to perceive turkey as an industrial power with the 15th largest industrial economy in the world...
Obviously he is a troll.
Don't let fools hijack the discussion or anybody as insane as him.
Just ignore him and he will go away.
All those trying to put differences between Europeans ( group of Christians happen to be living in the same continent called Europe) and Turks should realize that EU is not just an aristocratic tea party that only exclusive members can get together and enjoy. Its BUSINESS. Turkey is just getting better and better economically at the same time keeping its secular and democratic regime (that is something that will never ever ever change as long as Turkish Republic exists, so calm down some of you.. ) In a decade or two we will see Turkey joining the EU, not because it satisfies some bullshit dead end criteria, but because Europe desperately needs Turkey in their side in terms of financial outcomes.
PS: All those anti-Turks here, trolling comments by referencing biased expired history, trying to draw some attention... just f'ck off...
@yigitcan @quadratic
Perfect comments. Turkey was lacking confidence in the previous decade but now it finally realized that if the job is going to be done, it will be done not by EU or NATO or whatever, but by just working hard.
A prime example of this before in television people would often say "this does not happen at all in developped countries" regarding an incident in Turkey and comparing it to West.
Now people simple say: "This is not acceptable in today's Turkey". Shows that people realized nobody or imported ideas will genuinely help us but ourselves.
This is not only good for Turkey but also for the whole world. Imagine another.
Germany is in place of Turkey, radiating stability to the region. More scientists, more artists, more engineers to make the world a better place.
Turkey has a lot more capabilities than squeezing in the narrow EU definition. Sure we want to be close friends and flirt but not necessarily marry EU.
You are just an little incompitent morron. Probably you have never been in Turkey, You have no Turkish friends ( or do you have any friends), you dont know what you talk about, you cannot disscus with respect. you cannot take critic.
I am so disapinted at myself that I even take a person like you seriusly and even discuss with you. you are soo Extra Small for me, and most of those people here that I even dont know why I in first place wrote a comment to you..
Take your theory (and dont tell that it is a historical paper from institus and so on) JUST TAKE YOUR THEORY, and continue, you may find some peaples whics ar so clever as you, so you can have a good moment togheter and critisize Turkey or whatever..
You are funny :)
Stay away from these forums if you dont know your knowledge..
haha, really are you a stand-up comidien or are you serius. I dont get it? what are you?
(when I say friends I realy dont men you captainkanga)
I is enough for me, I can not take this morron anymore. so I am leaving now.
I just want to say that, I think it is better for all of us to just ignore this person who just use a very litle percent of his brain capacity alone. So he and his little brain cells togheter can have a good discussion..
Take care averybody.
And thank you for some free stand-up program captainkanga
Just a note to those racist posters:
Turkish people are not as dark as your think and many of them are not Muslim either. Relax they are white!
Its pure double standards..
You said that "oh..did you know that the entire east coast of modern day turkey was hellenic before your czars and mongols raped and murdered us..?? "
First, there is not a coast on the east of Turkey. Maybe you wanted to say west coast of Turkey.
Second, who were living there(west coast) before the Hellenic period? Or, was it some empty land and Hellenic people just discovered there?
@And about the Islam and and its darkness. Belive me, Islam has good years but also bad years in time; just like Christianity. It is the people who does everything.
The reason for this surge is that dry economists like Moderaterna believe that big businesses interests are best served by the free movement of "labour" which forces down employee costs, and boosts profits. Indigenous workers suffer of course, but not people like Bildt and Mr and Mrs Reinfeldt, so that's ok then.
It's a classic case of knowing the price of everything and the value of nothing.
Bildt now seems to believe that Sweden needs to absorb (ok forget absorb, be swamped by) several million more muslim immigrants from Turkey to help boost company profits further, and of course the value of his home in Karlavagen.
Bidlt and Reinfeldt are classic examples of aloof, detached, tinder dry, business obsessed conservatives incapable iof understanding that there's more to a society than bucks.
Turkey is 99.8% Muslim and they are not white. Many of us have traveled there and we know what we see with our own eyes.
Your history of Turkey is a totally misguided. There was nothing in the Ottoman Empire which was positive, and certainly nothing that it did for Europe other than invade it at the point of a sword.
The Turkish Ottoman Empire was infamous the world over for its sheer brutality. Now you try and cite it as an example of Turkish "good". Incredible. Please read more widely.
Not for nothing did Winston Churchill want to use WWI as an opportunity to "kick the Turkish invaders out of Europe" once and for all. He was appalled by their barbarism.
What do you think about the past of humanity? Do you think that is there any country whose past is clean? Or are we going to keep saying "ok, my country's past is not clean but yours is dirtier"
Oh dear. Please try and read a post properly before you comment on it. If you don't it makes you look like a fool.
First, I can assure you the history of Turkey and Anatolia included; the Hittites, the Byzantiums, the Ottomans and the Haga Sofia.
Secondly, none of those things were offered as examples of "good" things. They were offered in response to poor Captainkangas statement that Turkey has made no contribution to European history. Once again, I can assure you these civilizations made a significant contribution.
Thirdly, you have the temerity to misquote me. I did not use the word "good" as you have misquoted from my post at #34. This is not so much a misquote as a blatant lie. Those who have to lie to prove a point really need re-evaluate their values before posting here. The only point they prove is their own moral deficiency. I am sure Sir Winston Churchill might have a thing or two to say about that too.
I wish Sweden is not in EU.
But to try and help you with your GCSE level history, The Ottoman Empire stretched from about 1300 to the mid 1920s ie all of Turkey's primary history relevant to today.
Your trying to delve back to the Byzantium era circa 650 is rather irrelevant and indeed misleading. The Byzantiums were Christian, They were overthrown by the mulsims in a bloody war. After which followed muslim rule cumlinated in the expansionist and bruttal muslim Ottoman Empire. So to try and present the Byzantiums as an example of Turkey's contribution to the world is pretty asenine!
Your idea of Turkey's "contribution" seems to be something of a moving goal post as well. When most people talki about making a "contribution", they mean good things, positive things. You could always try telling your boss that you'dmade a "contribution" to the company after trashing a project but I do't think he or she would be impressed.
And If with take your definition then Nazi Germany made a big "contribution" to European history. It was noteworthy, but it wasn't a positive contribution in the way that Captainkangas meant.
But while we on the topic of Turkish "contributions", you omitted the Armenian Holocaust carried out by the Ottoman Turks in 1915-16 and widely recognised as as the inspiration for Hitler's Jewish Holocaust 25 years later.
PS when people start using hyperbolic phrases like "blatant lie" in forums I know I'm talking to a truculent student pric.k. Do try and grow up.
They'll have to stay on their own cos' the Arabs don't want'em either
For these Xenophobic people Turkish people's colour, language, religion, history is the main criteria for talking about them while in civilised societies like Sweden humans are treated all the same no matter what you believe and what colour you have.
How come the Turks have never beem invited into the Arab league? Would it have anything to do with there oppression & torture of the Arab people during the Ottaman reign?
Insulting other poster's mothers, merely draws attention to your predicament, and confirms our earlier suspicions of your wisdom and values.
Fortunately, my dear old mother is long past worrying about that sort of thing.
If you need guidance about any other social skills, please ask me.
It was rather difficult for a Turkish student in Turkey to get a master's education from European universities about a decade ago. But not anymore due to the increasing education level in Turkey . Especially in Germany, Italy, UK,Netherlands, Denmark and France you can easily come across turks at the campuses of famous universities.
Many of them at these universities have good English skills and it is not a problem for them to get a job at international companies after getting master degrees. There are also many students that pursue a PhD in some other universities.
You can be against the idea of Turkey being a member of EU, but not turks' being a part of Europe.
Please update your knowledge in general and do not repeat what you have been hearing from your parents. And you should better get used to the idea of having a turkish manager and maybe start to get rid of your prejudgements against "Turks". Because they are updating themselves faster than you think.
@Alf Garnett
It's because Turkey is secular and proves you can be Muslim and secular, as you might have guessed Arabs are not pleased with that.
Plus Turks are not Arabs so, why join the Arab League. We are already in the Muslim League though, casually participating.
@planet.sweden
The Ottoman Empire contributed nothing to the world?
I'm afraid the Department of Eastern Studies at Harvard and Princeton and their 38 professors begs to differ.
Surely, you are an arse yourself. I advise you to finish your primary school and proceed with more education.
I said it again and I'll say it again, keep your EU, we don't need it. Geez..
Firstly, how did the Byzantine Empire accept Christianity as their religon. I mean first the Roman Empire and then the Byzantine of course. Or did they fight against the Christinaity at first and then was constrained to accept Christianity.
Secondly, You are saying "The Byzantiums were Christian, They were overthrown by the mulsims in a bloody war. ".
What if the Byzantines won that "bloody war". Were they going to welcome Ottomans?
Turkey is in Asia and in Europe, nothing new---
Are yu drinkin a glass half-empty or half-tuck
If Turkey wants to join the EU it needs to make swift and decisive progress on the 35 areas that are required for all countries who want to join the EU.
If Turkey doesn't meet these goals, then they can't join. Why is Bildt acting like it is Europe keeping Turkey out when it is in fact Turkey's own government that is being slow to reform? And why doesn't Carl Bildt actually meet with Cypriot officials and citizens to discuss why their position is the way it is. Instead of making accusations towards them as being obstructionist he should actually take some time to learn why people in the region feel the way they do.
Letting Turkey into the EU would prove to be just as catastrophic as dragging into their city an innocent looking but very large wooden horse was to the Trojans.