SARKOZY DOES NOT OPPOSE TURKEY BECAUSE IT’S MUSLIM

The French Embassy in Ankara has denied news reports suggesting that President Nicolas Sarkozy’s vocal opposition to Turkey’s accession to the European Union was linked to religion. The embassy said in a statement that remarks attributed to Sarkozy were “completely baseless” and explained that the French leader insisted that Europe should have borders. The Turkish daily Milliyet, citing remarks from Sarkozy published in the Polish newspaper Dziennik, said the French leader had finally revealed the main reason for his opposition to Turkey’s membership in the EU by saying that he did not consider a Muslim country European. The embassy said Sarkozy had been asked where Europe’s borders end and what countries can and cannot join the 27-nation bloc in the future. Sarkozy had said in response that his position on Turkey’s membership is known very well and that this stance has not changed. He said Europe must have borders and should not expand indefinitely. “For me it is crucial that the EU doesn’t become an entity without unity, will and social support,” he said.