http://english.pravda.ru/world/20/91/365/16225_Turkey.htmlTurkey with its 66-million strong population has all chances to become the largest state of the European Union
Another stage of negotiations about Turkey's membership in the European Union is set to begin on October 3. All EU members have prepared their requirements for Ankara on the threshold of the talks. As it was expected before, Europe wants Turkey to acknowledge the Greek Cyprus and include the island in all agreements, which Turkey and the European Union have concluded before.
Turkey submitted its EU membership bid in 1982 soon after its eternal rival, Greece, became a union member. The talks have not been able to progress for more than 20 years since then. European officials constantly accused the Turkish government of violating human rights, especially the rights of national minorities, of the weak economic development, etc. The EU welcomed ten new members during that period; Bulgaria and Romania are currently waiting for their turn, and Turkey would like to be the third in the line. However, the Turkish bid has been rejected again.
It seemed that Turkey had absolutely no chances to obtain a full membership in the European Union in 1997, during the talks about the union's expansion owing to the states of Eastern Europe. Turkish Islamic leader Necmettin Erbakan was determined to make Turkey a solely Islamic state. The secular-oriented military overthrew Erbakan, though, and Turkey submitted another bid to the EU. Turkey started conducting serious reforms afterwards: the Turkish government had to abolish death penalty, acknowledge the existence of national minorities, Kurds first and foremost, and sign a trade agreement with the EU. There were many other questions left, but the problem of Turkish-Cypriot relations is obviously the most important one of them.
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This is going to be the Biggest hurdle to get through for the EU!!!