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Thu, Feb 09 2012
Turkey regrets 'rise in Islamophobia'
Protesters erect symbolic minarets to protest against the results of a vote in Switzerland at the Helvetiaplatz square in Zurich November 29 2009. The banner reads 'Integrate instead of segregate'.
Turkey's foreign minister Ahmet Davutoglu has expressed concern at the Swiss decision on November 29 to ban the building of minarets.
"There is a rise in Islamophobia, in the concept of 'the other', as if they do not belong to society," said Davutoglu during an interview with the BBC. "It may be today Muslims, tomorrow Jews, the next day blacks, the next Africans. In this new global world we will be living together everywhere, so we need a new spirit of tolerance everywhere."
Davutoglu also made clear that Turkey still desired to become a full member of the EU.
"All the countries that start accession negotiations with the EU, they became members of the EU, except Norway which didn't want it. Based on this statistical analysis, I can say, Turkey will be a member of the EU, 100 per cent," he told the BBC.
Davutoglu said that Turkish admission to the EU was a litmus test for its development.
"There are two ways in front of the EU," he said. "Either the EU will be a global power, a dynamic economy and a multicultural global environment, or a continental power with a less dynamic economy, with a more inward-looking culture. These are the two options."
He added that Turkey's entry into the EU would transform the organisation into a global power.
"I am optimistic. I believe in the rationality of the EU approach. I'm sure Turkey will be a member, a contributing member - not a burden, but a big asset for the EU," he said.
"There is a rise in Islamophobia, in the concept of 'the other', as if they do not belong to society," said Davutoglu during an interview with the BBC. "It may be today Muslims, tomorrow Jews, the next day blacks, the next Africans. In this new global world we will be living together everywhere, so we need a new spirit of tolerance everywhere."
Davutoglu also made clear that Turkey still desired to become a full member of the EU.
"All the countries that start accession negotiations with the EU, they became members of the EU, except Norway which didn't want it. Based on this statistical analysis, I can say, Turkey will be a member of the EU, 100 per cent," he told the BBC.
Davutoglu said that Turkish admission to the EU was a litmus test for its development.
"There are two ways in front of the EU," he said. "Either the EU will be a global power, a dynamic economy and a multicultural global environment, or a continental power with a less dynamic economy, with a more inward-looking culture. These are the two options."
He added that Turkey's entry into the EU would transform the organisation into a global power.
"I am optimistic. I believe in the rationality of the EU approach. I'm sure Turkey will be a member, a contributing member - not a burden, but a big asset for the EU," he said.
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Turkey is a secular country and as such cannot speak for majority of non tollerant muslim nations which permit nothing christian being built. Remember Afghanistan and Talibans who wanted to execute converties and convertors to Christian faith. Mulsims only ones who preach about forceful convertion to their faith
Turkey must only be admitted if it allows the halt of discrimination against non-Turks: Kurds, Armenians and non-Muslims. Plus it must open all archives for the Hellenistic and Armenian genocide. Plus it MUST allow other religions to build their place of worship. It is time Islam becomes reformed and various parts of the Koran to be amended including the killing of apostates and various hateful and violent entries. FAIR IS FAIR AND ISLAM IS NOT FAIR!
Sandra you live in a DREAM WORLD.
Too late Turkey! The Lisbon Treaty is in force now and that brings qualified majority voting (by nation state and by population)on any new member.
It would only take say Greece, Bulgaria, Holland and one other state of any size to prevent Turkish inclusion. So far those against are Denmark, Holland, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary, Austria, and Greece.
Also bear in mind that the EU would have to change its title to accept a non-European state into the Club. - And Turkey is not European by any stretch of geography.
Islam is backwards and dangerous. If you read it for what it is and not what you want it to be then you see that those islamic militants are practicing the religion as it is. Mohammed beheaded jews, married a child, was illiterate and preached two world where I am to repent, become muslim or be killed. No offense, just the truth. We in Europe have spent too much energy to enlighten to let you fairy tale believers in and ruin Europe. It's called freedom from religion.
I wish Turkey was an EU member sooner because I believe that Turkey can stop all these far right parties in their track and make Europe a super power for everyone who wants to live peacefully together. We need to ban all forms of discrimination against religion, nationality whether they are Eu members or not, all people should be treated equally.