on turkish accession to eu

again, no comment;

from a speech by mr. olli rehn, member of european commission, responsible from enlargement, on turkish accession to eu, on march 8th, 2005 in istanbul:

"It is fair to say that the European public opinion is divided on the prospect of the accession of Turkey into the EU. However, the reality is more complex – as always – and some elements are worth noting.
One of them is the attitude of the younger generations which, according to recent surveys conducted in several EU Member States, is as a general pattern more open to the idea of Turkey’s accession than the older ones. This is pertinent food for thought for European political leaders.
The European project is geared towards the future. It is therefore the legitimate right and duty of the political leaders of the younger generations, of my generation, to look towards the future. We do not live any more in the Cold War Europe, but in the Europe of the 21st century, which is deeply aware that the relationship with the Muslim world is one of its major challenges.
If Turkey succeeds in its reform process and thus fulfils the criteria for membership after negotiations, it will become the crossroads of two civilisations. This represents a great opportunity for Europe and especially for the younger generations of Europe. I want to make sure that this opportunity is not missed.
In the accession negotiations the process is as important as the outcome. In other words, the process of reforms in Turkey - which will make the country fully respect the European values of the rule of law, human rights and democracy in all spheres of life and in all the corners of the country – paves the way for membership, and is as such as important as membership itself. As Prime Minister Erdogan has said, the Copenhagen criteria could actually be called the Ankara criteria, since they are, in the first instance, made for the benefit of Turkey’s citizens and not to please, say, some EU officials.
To convince the European public and governments, I cannot be a salesman of Turkey – but I can plead for fair, serious and determined negotiations, aimed at leading Turkey to EU membership.
My role in this process, and that of the Commission, is that of a referee and a manager. The referee must assess whether Turkey meets the criteria of membership and ensures that Turkey has a fair chance of proving its European credentials. The manager is there to support your efforts in meeting the criteria both financially and politically.
It is finally up to the Turkish people to take action. I am sure that winning this crucial match is worth it for Turkey and for the Turks, as well as for Europe."