Orthodox patriarch backs Turkey's EU bid

25/09/2008

BRUSSELS, Belgium -- Orthodox Patriarch Bartholomew I urged the EU on Wednesday (September 24th) to accept Turkey as a member if Ankara improves its democratic and human rights standards. "Europe needs to bring Turkey into its project," the patriarch told the European Parliament in Brussels. He stressed the EU should not make religious or cultural differences an obstacle to membership. "We must not exclude from the European family somebody who simply has a belief different from ours," Bartholomew told the European lawmakers. He noted Turkey could be a bridge between religions and cultures in the EU. He added, however, that Ankara must strengthen protections for religious minorities as part of wider human-rights reforms. (Zaman, Milliyet, EU Observer, Reuters - 25/09/08)