Word: ebbing
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...EB: His main goal is to share his appreciation for, and to ask for a continuation of U.S. support for Turkey's accession to the European Union. The EU will hold a crucial summit in Copenhagen later this week to discuss the question of enlargement. Turkey is the only applicant that has not been given a date to begin negotiations over becoming part of the EU. We believe that Turkey does deserve to be given a date. We have made 48 constitutional amendments and many reforms over the past 18 months, and another reform package will be voted...
...EB: It's an interpretation problem on their part. Turkey has long been a part of Europe. Some 4 million Turks live in Europe, and the country is represented in most European institutions. It has long been a member of the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe, and of NATO. Turkey has been in the frontline of defending European values during Cold War and after, and it's a great shame not to begin the process of admitting Turkey to the EU. I guess the reluctance is based on a view of the EU as a club of Christians...
...EB: A country can only become a full member once it has fulfilled the economic criteria. Turkey does not claim that it is economically ready for membership. But it is ready to start negotiations, which take years, during which time the economy will be reformed to meet EU criteria...
...EB:No, that's not correct. It is a democratic party, not based on any religion, and its members include Muslims, Jews, Christians and people of no faith...
...EB: Turkey is the only applicant for EU membership that has not been set a date to begin negotiations. So, there are suspicions in and around Turkey that the reason is simply that Turkey is a majority Muslim country. To eliminate these suspicions, the EU must give Turkey a date. We must show civilizations unifying and working in harmony. Turkey has proved for past 80 years that Islam and secularism can coexist. It's a great model for countries striving for democracy...