Turkey coup? I hope so, it's overdue.

Generali

Rinoa wrote: »

It's a bit rich calling Leave liars when our own PM supported the idea and was actively engaged in pushing for Turkish membership just a short time ago.

Aren't you and HAMISH arguing different points though? HAMISH is arguing that it is rubbish to suggest that Turkish membership is around the corner and you are saying that Tukish membership is supported by the British Government. Those aren't mutually exclusive positions at all, far from it.

I was chatting to a Turkish-Syrian friend at a party today and he feels that some of Erodgan's reforms are very good and have effectively introduced the right of Freedom of Religion to Turkey.

For example prior to Erdogan, according to my friend, if a woman interpreted Islam to mean she should wear a headscarf she was unable to attend university or work in a Government department.

Now I have no clue whatsoever about Turkish politics (although I make a very good kebab) but what he was saying sounded reasonable to me.

LoveLifeAgain

I think that this is what they may have been talking about. There has been a lot of talk about it from the EU for some time.


https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/may/03/european-commission-turkish-citizens-visa-free-travel-schengen

wotsthat

Rinoa wrote: »

And yet here's 'call me Dave' stating;

[FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot][FONT=&quot]Didn't sound like decades away to me.

[/FONT][/FONT][/FONT][/FONT] Were Leave really lying through their teeth?
[/FONT]

You don't strike me as someone who hangs on Cameron's every word.

The referendum is now behind us. Be honest - was Turkey joining the EU really on your event horizon?

cells

Generali wrote: »

Aren't you and HAMISH arguing different points though? HAMISH is arguing that it is rubbish to suggest that Turkish membership is around the corner and you are saying that Tukish membership is supported by the British Government. Those aren't mutually exclusive positions at all, far from it.

I was chatting to a Turkish-Syrian friend at a party today and he feels that some of Erodgan's reforms are very good and have effectively introduced the right of Freedom of Religion to Turkey.

For example prior to Erdogan, according to my friend, if a woman interpreted Islam to mean she should wear a headscarf she was unable to attend university or work in a Government department.

Now I have no clue whatsoever about Turkish politics (although I make a very good kebab) but what he was saying sounded reasonable to me.

From my also limited understanding of the country.
The secular turks held a lot of the power and the armed forces.
This erdoagn guy came along and won a few elections with the muslim support. With the political power he eroded the power of the secular turks and started to purge them from institutions and allowed more freedom of religion. this seem to work ok in the 2000s as the economy boomed and everyone was getting better off.

All of this probably sounds ok from a western standpoint and it probably would be ok if the religious faction was a minority of the population but when its maybe 2/3rds of the population you slowly get a situation where religion and state begin to merge.

Also from what I have heard (this might be BS but the people who say it seem to think it) is that the ruling party has invested more into the towns and villages where its supporters are based and less elsewhere.

There is also resentment at how recent events have been handled. For instance some 3.5 million syrians are in turkey. apparently the man wants to give them citizenship with the aim/hope that the religious syrians will vote for him. Of course the secular turks are not happy that millions of religious folk have arrived and that they are getting government support and perhaps citizenship soon.

also the issue of corruption and nepotism. the president and his pals and family going from not much money to heads of industry and millions billions in wealth.


The way I think of it is Russias putin but with a more divided country with something like 1/3rd secular and 2/3rds religious and a power struggle between the two groups.

CLAPTON

oh dear
it seems that immigration may not always be a benefit (except in GDP terms of course)

Rinoa

Generali wrote: »

Aren't you and HAMISH arguing different points though? HAMISH is arguing that it is rubbish to suggest that Turkish membership is around the corner and you are saying that Tukish membership is supported by the British Government. Those aren't mutually exclusive positions at all, far from it.

Welcome back.

Hamish claimed Leave were exaggerating the possibility of Turkey joining. Leave merely pointed out that the EU have had formal negotiations with Turkey about membership and indeed have granted visas for Turkish citizens to travel through the EU. (and Turkey have just granted Turkish citizenship to 300,000 Syrians ) He also suggested we could veto it, which is why I posted the video showing Camerons enthusiasm for Turkish membership.

Generali

Rinoa wrote: »

Welcome back.

Hamish claimed Leave were exaggerating the possibility of Turkey joining. Leave merely pointed out that the EU have had formal negotiations with Turkey about membership and indeed have granted visas for Turkish citizens to travel through the EU. (and Turkey have just granted Turkish citizenship to 300,000 Syrians ) He also suggested we could veto it, which is why I posted the video showing Camerons enthusiasm for Turkish membership.

Thanks.

At least one over excited poster seemed to think Turkey would be in the EU by October. The prospect of Turkey maybe joining an EU in 2036 or later should be a matter of complete indifference to all as we have no idea where we'll be in 20 years.

Rinoa

wotsthat wrote: »

You don't strike me as someone who hangs on Cameron's every word.

The referendum is now behind us. Be honest - was Turkey joining the EU really on your event horizon?

It's fair to say I was worried more about other issues.

Kohoutek

Rinoa wrote: »

Leave merely pointed out that the EU have had formal negotiations with Turkey about membership and indeed have granted visas for Turkish citizens to travel through the EU.

Not sure that's right:

mwpt

Rinoa wrote: »

It's a bit rich calling Leave liars when our own PM supported the idea and was actively engaged in pushing for Turkish membership just a short time ago.

What problem do you have with our government trying to assist another country to become more more stable, more prosperous and move toward the conditions of joining the EU?