Turkey must be welcome in EU, insists Cameron

[unpc]

Timmy35 said:

Good for him. From an economic perspective Turkish membership of the EU makes a great deal of sense.

You've got to be fking joking. If ever there was a money pit, Turkey is it.

[TuxRacer]

JMGS4 said:

...anyone who has had anything to do with Turks knows that the majority are boorish, ignorant and heathen. Here in Germany...

Really? Ok, carry on...

[HundredthIdiot]

I wouldn't be opposed to some kind of controlled immigration from Turkey, provided that suitable criteria are applied.

In support of this proposal, I give you Nazan Eckes.

[Lost soul]

TuxRacer said:

JMGS4 said:

...anyone who has had anything to do with Turks knows that the majority are boorish, ignorant and heathen. Here in Germany...

Really? Ok, carry on...

I am half Turkish and i can confirm JMGS4's findings

[SJobson]

sjn2004 said:

Trommel said:

SJobson said:

How many years back?

I did a bit of driving around in South West Turkey about nine years ago - an hour inland was totally different from the tourist areas on the coast. Whole families on old tractors without lights at night, the occasional horse-drawn cart, urchins trying to flag you down to buy bags of olives from them in the middle of nowhere, petrol station attendants spitting when they saw you were a tourist (maybe that was just me), that sort of thing.

I'd be surprised if it's moved on too radically in the few years since.

The last time was about 14 years ago, like you say outside of Istanbul, Bodrum etc things go very basic. Out in the East are many nomadic people living in tents made from bin liners (I think they were called the Yuruk). I got as far as Kilis/Gaziantep (having been over the border to Aleppo).

Due to the big income differentials between Turkey and the UK/Fr/De etc just suddenly allowing the borders to drop and free movement would result in chaos. Some lefties may say the Turks(as have the Eastern Europeans)will come to work, but the truth is the majority take low paid work, therefore paying no/little tax, getting top up benefits (so UK plc is actually a net loser) while a UK passport holder loses employment opportunities.

I went to Turkey 15 years ago, then didn't go back until this year. Travelled a fair way by car east of Izmir, and I was amazed at the changes. It genuinely felt like a different country this time.

Yes, it covers an enormous area and there are only 70m inhabitants so there will always be areas which are less developed - like France. I don't think that in itself should be a bar to entry.

[Trommel]

It still isn't in Europe.

[SJobson]

Dana International won the Eurovision Song Contest despite representing Israel

At least part of Turkey is in Europe, anyway.

[Lost soul]

SJobson said:

Dana International won the Eurovision Song Contest despite representing Israel

At least part of Turkey is in Europe, anyway.

only a little bit

[DS3R]

Lost soul said:

Asterix said:

Lost soul said:

Timmy35 said:

Good for him. From an economic perspective Turkish membership of the EU makes a great deal of sense.

How do you work that out ? they would just drain the pot

Out of the 44 European Countries (not all in the EU) Turkey has the 7th largest GDP - above Holland.

The EU We, the British taxpayers would still end up financing roads, bridges, and all the rest of it

EFA.

[sjn2004]

SJobson said:

sjn2004 said:

Trommel said:

SJobson said:

How many years back?

I did a bit of driving around in South West Turkey about nine years ago - an hour inland was totally different from the tourist areas on the coast. Whole families on old tractors without lights at night, the occasional horse-drawn cart, urchins trying to flag you down to buy bags of olives from them in the middle of nowhere, petrol station attendants spitting when they saw you were a tourist (maybe that was just me), that sort of thing.

I'd be surprised if it's moved on too radically in the few years since.

The last time was about 14 years ago, like you say outside of Istanbul, Bodrum etc things go very basic. Out in the East are many nomadic people living in tents made from bin liners (I think they were called the Yuruk). I got as far as Kilis/Gaziantep (having been over the border to Aleppo).

Due to the big income differentials between Turkey and the UK/Fr/De etc just suddenly allowing the borders to drop and free movement would result in chaos. Some lefties may say the Turks(as have the Eastern Europeans)will come to work, but the truth is the majority take low paid work, therefore paying no/little tax, getting top up benefits (so UK plc is actually a net loser) while a UK passport holder loses employment opportunities.

I went to Turkey 15 years ago, then didn't go back until this year. Travelled a fair way by car east of Izmir, and I was amazed at the changes. It genuinely felt like a different country this time.

Yes, it covers an enormous area and there are only 70m inhabitants so there will always be areas which are less developed - like France. I don't think that in itself should be a bar to entry.

Izmir is on the west coast, Turkey extends for about 1000 miles east. I've been here exactly

http://maps.google.co.uk/maps?f=q&source=s_q&a...

Also remember that with open borders anybody crossing from Iraq/Iran could then travel freely throughout Europe. The majority of asylum seekers from Iraq/Afghanistan pass through this way.