Erdoğan to deem EU Islamophobic if Turkey’s bid rejected
http://www.todayszaman.com/national_erdogan-to-deem-eu-islamophobic-if-turkeys-bid-rejected_370724.html
Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan Djiboutian counterpart İsmail Ömer Guelleh in Djibouti. (Photo: President's Office)
January 24, 2015, Saturday/ 13:53:29/
TODAYSZAMAN.COM
/ ISTANBUL
Turkish
President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan has said Turkey is testing whether the
European Union is really against Islamophobia, implying that the bloc
would be Islamophobic if Turkey's bid is rejected.
“We are testing Europe. Will Europe be able to accept a country which has a Muslim population? Are you [Europe] against Islamophobia or not?” Erdoğan asked in Djibouti on Saturday at a joint press conference with his Djiboutian counterpart Ismaïl Omar Guelleh.
Responding to questions from reporters at the press conference, Erdoğan said Turkey's European Union accession process is still under way and “it is not important whether it is accepted or not.”
“You have to accept Turkey to the European Union. Turkey is now a powerful country. If you still see Turkey as a country that would beg [for accession] at your door, Turkey is no longer a country that would beg at your door. Turkey would join the EU if it is accepted. If it is not [accepted], it would draw its own path,” Erdoğan said.
He noted that the European Union “has to accept” Turkish membership otherwise the EU would prove claims that it is a “Christian club.”
“But if they accept Turkey to the EU, this thesis would be put aside. Turkey is a member of NATO and the OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development]. Turkey is also present in many other organizations. Then, why aren't you accepting it to the EU? This means there is another problem,” Erdoğan added.
The Turkish president last month told European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that membership with the bloc is a "strategic choice" for Turkey.
Erdoğan's remarks came only a week after he told Brussels to "keep your insights to yourself" in response to criticism over a media crackdown in Turkey. He continued to lambast the EU on Dec. 17, saying that Europe is in no position to give Turkey lessons in democracy.
“Take the trouble to come here [to Turkey] so that Turkey can instead teach you [the EU] a lesson in democracy,” Erdoğan said, accusing the EU of acting like Turkey's teacher. “Those who try to offer advice to us should understand that Turkey is no longer the old [Turkey],” Erdoğan said. "We don't care whether the EU allows [us into the EU]," Erdoğan said defiantly, adding that Turkey is not a slave of Europe.
“We are testing Europe. Will Europe be able to accept a country which has a Muslim population? Are you [Europe] against Islamophobia or not?” Erdoğan asked in Djibouti on Saturday at a joint press conference with his Djiboutian counterpart Ismaïl Omar Guelleh.
Responding to questions from reporters at the press conference, Erdoğan said Turkey's European Union accession process is still under way and “it is not important whether it is accepted or not.”
“You have to accept Turkey to the European Union. Turkey is now a powerful country. If you still see Turkey as a country that would beg [for accession] at your door, Turkey is no longer a country that would beg at your door. Turkey would join the EU if it is accepted. If it is not [accepted], it would draw its own path,” Erdoğan said.
He noted that the European Union “has to accept” Turkish membership otherwise the EU would prove claims that it is a “Christian club.”
“But if they accept Turkey to the EU, this thesis would be put aside. Turkey is a member of NATO and the OECD [Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development]. Turkey is also present in many other organizations. Then, why aren't you accepting it to the EU? This means there is another problem,” Erdoğan added.
The Turkish president last month told European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker that membership with the bloc is a "strategic choice" for Turkey.
Erdoğan's remarks came only a week after he told Brussels to "keep your insights to yourself" in response to criticism over a media crackdown in Turkey. He continued to lambast the EU on Dec. 17, saying that Europe is in no position to give Turkey lessons in democracy.
“Take the trouble to come here [to Turkey] so that Turkey can instead teach you [the EU] a lesson in democracy,” Erdoğan said, accusing the EU of acting like Turkey's teacher. “Those who try to offer advice to us should understand that Turkey is no longer the old [Turkey],” Erdoğan said. "We don't care whether the EU allows [us into the EU]," Erdoğan said defiantly, adding that Turkey is not a slave of Europe.
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