Two articles about the possibility of Turkey entering the Union. The first one, from Newsweek: Second Thoughts:
Once, Europe was a sweetshop, and Turkey was an eager kid with his face pressed to the window. Just two years ago, polls showed that more than 70 percent of Turks wanted to join the European Union, convinced that following the road to Brussels would make them richer, healthier and freer. Now, only months after long-delayed negotiations finally began, support for the EU has slipped to just 43 percent, and is falling fast.
Why? The cost and hassle of implementing the EU’s 80,000-page Acquis Communautaire—the vast canon of rules and regulations on everything from air quality to the size and shape of bananas (imports must not be “abnormally bent”). A new study by the politically powerful Turkish Industry and Business Association estimates the cost of reforming Turkey’s huge agriculture sector alone at up to $76 billion over the next decade, a significant hit for a $382 billion economy. Almost every clause of the Acquis Communautaire comes with a giant bill—for example, implementing European drinking-water standards will require digging up vast swaths of Turkey’s often haphazardly planned cities to replace crumbling piping.
Le Monde: For Jacques Chirac, Turkey must recognise the Armenian Genocide:
The French President Jacques Chirac has judged, on Sunday September 30th, in Erevan, that Turkey must recognise the Armenian Genocide before being able to adhere the European Union. Questioned at a Press conference if Turkey should recognise the character of genocide to the massacres of Armenians committed between 1915 and 1917 in the Ottoman Empire, he has answered that “honestly, I believe it”. “All the countries grow when the recognise their drames and errors”, he added.
Según Newsweek, los índices de apoyo de la población turca a entrar en la Unión Europea han decrecido de manera muy importante, de 70% hace dos años hasta un 43% ahora. El coste y la molestia de introducir en el país el “acervo comunitario” se ha estimado, por ejemplo, en la agricultura, en 76 billones de dólares sólo en la próxima década, lo que es excesivo para una economía con un valor estimado de 382 billones de dólares.
De viaje en Armenia, Jacques Chirac ha declarado que “honestamente cree” que Turquía debe reconocer el Genocidio Armenio.
The Anti-Jihad Pundit 
Whilst Turkey must allow the subject to be discussed openly and for all points of view to be aired, Chirac and his ilk need to shut up.
There is no moral difference between saying:
The Armenian Genocide didn’t happen, and anyone who says it did will be punished &
The Armenian Genocide did happen, and anyone who says it didn’t will be punished.
Also if you want to encourage Turkey (or any other country) to embrace free speech, its a little counter productive to tell them in advance what the conclusions to that speech are going to be.
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