EU membership not in Turkey's interests

PanARMENIAN.Net - It is difficult to be optimistic at present about Turkey's membership to the European Union (EU), said Vice President of the EU-Turkey Joint Parliamentary Committee Andrew Duff. While he views the new Turkish Parliament as a positive development, debates within the European Parliament give reason for doubt.



In a summer university lecture at Yeditepe University yesterday, Duff argued that the main obstacles to Turkey's membership at present are Cyprus, the Kurdish problem and the opposition of several member countries to Turkey's accession. Membership before the EU manages to establish a common foreign and security policy would not be in Turkey's interest, Duff claimed. As Turkey's accession would expand the borders of EU countries to Syria and Iraq, he said, the Turkish Daily News reports.