Straw: Sick man of Europe has recovered

Former British Foreign Secretary Jack Straw's 600-page book entitled "Last Man Standing: Memoirs of a Political Survivor" was published in Britain on Tuesday. Speaking on section 18 of his book in which he makes comments on the EU and Turkey, Straw said that the Justice and Development Party (AKP) government has been the most successful Turkish government in the post-war era. "Turkey is now one of the fastest growing economies in the world and the fastest growing in Europe, enjoying growth rates of 8.5 per cent last year and 9 per cent in 2010. Indeed, such is Turkey's economic renaissance that it is set to become a top 10 global economy by 2050. Turkey is also a key NATO member with the largest armed forces after the US. It is the dominant actor in its region and plays an increasingly energetic and positive role in its relationships far beyond its own neighborhood," Straw indicated. Touching on Turkey's EU membership bid, Straw stressed that the real reason in preventing Turkey's EU membership had to do with its being a Muslim nation. "The sick man of Europehas recovered. With economic power, Turkey has also achieved diplomatic power," Straw stressed.