Gul warns against "fortress Europe"

President Abdullah Gul on Tuesday warned against a "fortress Europe," discussing the plight of immigrants and minorities on the continent in an address to the Council of Europe. "Fortress Europe is not a rational choice. It is an illusion," he told the CoE. "European states must resist the temptation to turn inwards." He added, "Separate but equal is a wrong idea, separate cannot be equal," deploring the rise "in electoral support for political parties that portray immigration as the main cause of insecurity, unemployment, crime, poverty and social problems." Gul conceded that Europe was hit harder by the economic crisis than other regions of the world. "Racism and xenophobia represent a major cause of concern in connection with the current economic crisis. They lead governments and political elites to take a tough line on immigration," he said. But he urged Europe to embrace "the accelerating process of economic and cultural globalization." "To the extent Europe succeeds in embracing it, Europe can demand change and shape developments in the world," he said.