Barroso closes Turkey’s window to EuropeSeptember 22, 2010 - 12:23 AMT PanARMENIAN.Net - European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said Turkey's ambitions to join the bloc are being thwarted because of cultural differences and a change in attitude toward Turkey, Reuters reported. “There are some big questions about the membership of Turkey because of cultural differences and that is something that is extremely serious. We are now discussing this matter with our member states... Turkey recognizes that not all benchmarks have been met - this is the first issue. The European Commission is very much in favor of the enlargement of the European Union but we have to see all the members meet all criteria,” Barroso said. Turkey's application to join the 27-nation EU has met with European resistance for years because of Turkey's human rights record and friction with Cyprus, an EU member that Turkey does not recognize. Top stories Azerbaijani President Ilham Aliyev arrived in Moscow on April 22 to hold talks with Russian counterpart Vladimir Putin. Authorities said a total of 192 Azerbaijani troops were killed and 511 were wounded during Azerbaijan’s offensive. In 2023, the Azerbaijani government will increase the country’s defense budget by more than 1.1 billion manats ($650 million). The bill, published on Monday, is designed to "eliminate the shortcomings of an unreasonably broad interpretation of the key concept of "compatriot". Partner news | Putin congratulates Pashinyan’s birthday Russian President Vladimir Putin congratulated Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan on his birthday on June 1. Opposition motorcade en route to Gyumri for large rally A motorcade of protesters headed by Archbishop Bagrat Galstanyan is heading to the city of Gyumri. Ruling MPs, Foreign Minister talk Armenia-Azerbaijan processes MOs from the ruling Civil Contract party met with the Foreign Minister Ararat Mirzoyan in the Armenian parliament. Russia: Armenia’s frozen membership weakens CSTO position in Caucasus A Russian envoy said any step that could alienate the CSTO member states from each other is “deeply wrong”. |