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Obama To EU: Let Turkey In; Sarkozy To Obama: STFU



Apr 5, 2009 22 Comments ›› Chuck Biscuits

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Leave Turkey’s bid to join EU to us, Nicolas Sarkozy warns Barack Obama
David Charter in Prague

The love-in between Nicolas Sarkozy and Barack Obama proved short-lived after the French President warned his US counterpart yesterday to keep his nose out of the issue of Turkey’s membership of the European Union.

President Obama used his first EU-US summit, on the eve of his visit to Turkey, to encourage European leaders to embrace the Muslim country and “anchor it in Europe”. However, Mr Sarkozy, a long-standing opponent of full membership for Turkey, rebuffed the US leader in language that seemed to sour the revival of Franco-US relations.

Support for Turkey in joining the EU, a process that it began formally in 2005 and hopes to complete before 2020, has long been an American foreign policy goal.

Mr Obama, who flew to Turkey last night, clearly wanted to leave on a positive note. He told EU leaders: “The United States and Europe must approach Muslims as our friends, neighbours and partners in fighting injustice, intolerance and violence.

“Moving forward towards Turkish membership in the EU would be an important signal of your commitment to this agenda and ensure that we continue to anchor Turkey firmly in Europe.”

Mr Sarkozy, who has talked of offering Turkey a privileged partnership rather than membership, did not wait to hit back. “I have been working hand in hand with President Obama but when it comes to the European Union it is up to member states of the European Union to decide [on membership],” Mr Sarkozy said in an interview on French television. “I have always been opposed to this entry and I remain opposed,” he added.

His comments laid bare the continuing EU split over Turkish membership, with France and Austria openly opposed and deep reservations in Germany and the Netherlands. Turkey would become the most populous EU country and Germany in particular is said to have concerns about the shift in power that this would cause, with the largest number of MEPs coming from Turkey, along with strong voting rights in European Council decisions.

José Manuel Barroso, the European Commission President, sought to paper over the cracks as he welcomed Mr Obama’s comments. “We have started a process of negotiations with Turkey for membership of the European Union and that was a unanimous decision of the European Union, all 27 member states,” Mr Barroso said.

“Of course we have to go on with the negotiations and at the end, we have to see if Turkey is ready to join and if the European Union is ready to integrate Turkey.”

Recep Tayyip Erdogan, the Turkish Prime Minister, reiterated his country’s desire to join the EU when he visited Brussels this year.

Olli Rehn, the EU Enlargement Commissioner, called last week on Turkey to renew its focus on reforms to meet Union entry criteria for democracy and workers’ rights. “The pace of negotiations depends on the pace and intensity of the reforms in your country,” he said.

The Turkish press said yesterday that the country had secured concessions for dropping its objections to Anders Fogh Rasmussen, the Danish Prime Minister, becoming the next Nato Secretary-General.

Ankara had argued that Mr Rasmussen was not suitable because he did not offer an apology for cartoons of the Prophet Muhammad published in a Danish newspaper in 2005, which led to violent demonstations across the Muslim world. Turkey expects to secure several key Nato posts, including that of assistant secretary-general.

Mr Rasmussen insisted in the Danish media yesterday that he had not sacrificed his defence of freedom of expression in order to secure Turkey’s support of his nomination.

Turkey also objected to the hosting by a Danish satellite of a Kurdish television channel that is regarded by Ankara as a mouthpiece of the outlawed PKK (Kurdistan Workers’ Party). Speaking to the Danish daily newspaper Jyllands-Posten, Mr Rasmussen added: “If it can be proven that Roj TV is participating in terrorist activities, then we will do what we can to close the television station . . . within the framework of what Danish legislation allows.”


  • erumuhhh

    Barroso is a betrayer

  • vivi libero o muori

    Hey, Obongo, The EU doesn’t need ANY more help adding to it’s population of non-assimilating muslims. They’re already populating at 3x the speed of the Europeans, and will be a majority in 30 years.

    • trustme1013

      But you have to know that that’s his purpose in the whole thing is to encourage a “better understanding” of the Muslim faith so we will be asleep when our hour comes. It’s bad enough that 10% of France’s population is Muslim — they already have torn that country apart with their riots and refusal to assimilate. I’m glad Sark’s got the balls to put his foot down and put our ‘fearless leader’ in his place!

  • CJW

    The U.S. needs to give Turkey the same kind of help they gave us when we went into Iraq to remove the Hussein regime; i.e., no help at all.

  • Randy

    “The United States and Europe must approach Muslims as our friends, neighbours and partners in fighting injustice, intolerance and violence.”

    Fuck that. I will take this approach when the Muslims approach Christians as our friends, neighbors and partner in fighting injustice….”

    Ever day, this traitor tells us what he really is, but the media and the democrats refuse to report or listen.

    • American Woman

      Exactly. hes pushing it.
      I am hoping he pisses other foriegn leaders off so much that they will do the dirty work of dethroning him.
      We have been told he will make a big speach to the muslims in his first 100 days and his trip to Turkey is not “the one” WTF :shock:

  • vivi libero o muori

    We should send Obama Robert Spencer’s book “Islam for dummies” He could use a refresher.

  • Baroness W.

    Just curious: Has Barry Soetoro ever proven he changed his named back legally or are we all calling him by one of his aliases?
    Just wondering.

    (Considering a person’s name does possess some power, maybe we should all start calling him who he is)

    • GRIZZ

      satan?

    • trustme1013

      :arrow: GRIZZ

      I shouldn’t have been drinking tea while reading your reply!

      Beelzebub?

  • Baroness W.

    Might I add by way of clarification: since he is not really B Hussein O, let’s see how he appeals to his fellow muslims with he adopted (apostate) name.
    (taking away his muslim power)

  • Giorgi

    i think European are being themselves – indecisive, and how hypocritical – they are allowing provisions for sharia laws in their courts, but turkey apparently is “too muslim” for Europeans to swallow – all they are doing is pushing for more anti-western sentiment in Turkey, and NATO needs Turkey and its almost million strong army. and Turks know they’ve made a mistake with their Pre-Iraq war “bargaining” – they are ears deep in the Kurdish insurgent shit

    • erumuhhh

      do you regret the times when the Turks ruled Georgia ?

  • BradW (the Infidel)

    I think this is a hoot and a huge load of hypocrisy.

    Who else does not enjoy the irony of Any and all European countries telling us to mind our own business, when all they want to do is keep telling the USA how to run itself???

    Count down to tea party….which will be either ignored by MSM or falsely reported on :mad:

    • erumuhhh

      “which will be either ignored by MSM or falsely reported on”

      I trust some fertile imaginative brains across the pond to interpret them :twisted:

    • trustme1013

      Treat others as you would like to be treated, my friend. In this instance, I think BHO should stfu to the EU — he doesn’t need to be messing up the whole world — it’s bad enough that he’s messing up our country, we certainly don’t need him telling other factions how to run their business!

      Though now that I think about it … lots of people think that they should be allowed to vote in our elections. I think not. Since their laureled candidate got the office, perhaps they should stfu and let ole Barry decide for them!

  • YERMOM

    YERMOM thinks that OBAMA! is telling Sarkozy how far Michelle’s balls hang down in the above picture.

  • GRIZZ

    Goat scrotum.

  • Tom in CO

    I agree with Sarko. But I would like to see Turkey in the EU.

  • TedB

    Photo Caption: Excuse me, I have to go see Michelle… I heard she is in the WC with a bottle of Scope and handiwipes.

  • vehement

    well they half ass assist us in the war, bitching and dragging their feet more than the biggest shit bird pvt., so theyre essentially doing nothing to rid us of these bastards but then they dont want to show theyre willing to get along either. Get off the fuckin fence Europe, either help us kill the bastards or stand by your liberal utopian ideals. I hate nothing more than a cowardice hypocrite.

  • Poli

    “Hey, Obongo, The EU doesn’t need ANY more help adding to it’s population of non-assimilating Muslims. They’re already populating at 3x the speed of the Europeans,”

    What a racist comment, racist whites use the same words for blacks and Hispanics in the USA. I see that real problem is not Mr. Sarkozy but racist constituency that he is being supported by. Shame…..

    When So called, real European were trembling under Soviet tanks, Turkey with its defense force was very European..Now, Soviets are gone, Turks are not needed, they are suddenly no longer European..Turks were part of Europe since 1300s, and they still are. There is nothing no racist can do about it…..What a Typical European hypocrisy…