TURKEY and the EU

Philip Terzian says: "If the Turks are Europeans -- a debatable proposition -- then their long-suffering eastern neighbors the Armenians most certainly belong in the European Union: Armenia is the world's oldest Christian nation, the language is Indo-European, and they endured centuries of Ottoman tyranny, like the Greeks, Cypriots, etc. Moreover, unlike the Turks, the Armenians enjoy a full democracy, free of military rule, and a free-market economy -- a fact even the American right wing acknowledges (see the Heritage Foundation's current "Index of Economic Freedom.") Once Turkey and Armenia are in the EU, why not extend membership to Morocco or Israel? The only rationale for the admission of Turkey to the EU would be to civilize the Turks. But having done that, the EU would cease to be a "European" institution and would be --what? -- an economic alliance, a loose confederation of trading states?"

RH: I would like to assure Philip that I, and I believe all decent people, deeply lament the suffering of the Armenian people.

Ronald Hilton - 12/11/02