Simsek: "The EU isn't ready for Turkey"

Europeans, even European Union politicians, have been unable to grasp recent developments in Turkey, but are instead stuck on how they saw it in the 1960s, Finance Minister Mehmet Simsek told foreign reporters late last week. If it joins the EU, Turkey will contribute a great deal of vitality to the bloc, he added. Turkey isn't willing to see masses of Turks migrating to Europe, and few will want to leave a prosperous land, he said. "Europe isn't ready for Turkey," explained Simsek. "We are being treated unfairly. If they were fair, they wouldn't be hiding behind the Cyprus issue. Most of the chapters (in Turkey's negotiations) are being blocked for political reasons. If the EU shows greater political will, the government can more easily persuade our people that making sacrifices for EU accession is worth it."