Global News Journal
Beyond the World news headlines
Turkey, the EU and a love-hate relationship
French President Nicolas Sarkozy opens a jack-in-the-box decorated with the EU flag, a boxing glove springs out and knocks out the teeth of Turkish Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan .
“No more empty promises to Turkey,” a snickering Sarkozy says. The cartoon in daily Milliyet darkly panders to what most Turks feel these days are the European Union’s true intentions towards Turkey’s EU quest — no matter how many obstacles thrown at its wheels Turkey surmounts on the long and winding road to Brussels, it will ultimately be denied entry at the gates of the promised land .
A survey last weekend by Bahcesehir University in Istanbul showed that 80 percent of Turks believe that even if Ankara meets all political and economic requirements for EU accession, the EU will still not accept it as a member.
The study was published ahead of the June 4-7 European Parliament vote, in which Turkey’s bid to join the EU has become an election issue in some EU countries to the chagrin of the Turks, always sensitive about their self-image in the West .
from Africa News blog:
Should West back Zimbabwe’s government?
The United Nations has joined Zimbabwe’s power-sharing government in appealing for more than $700 million in humanitarian aid for the ruined country.
But while Western countries may show willing when it comes to emergency aid, they are still reluctant to give money to the government between President Robert Mugabe and Prime Minister Morgan Tsvangirai, his old rival.
Is “baron from Bavaria” a liability for Merkel?
Germany’s 37-year-old economy minister, Karl-Theodor zu Guttenberg, could become a liability for Chancellor Angela Merkel in September’s election thanks to his open criticism of the government’s 11th-hour rescue of carmaker Opel.
Guttenberg, a rising star in Merkel’s conservative camp, had argued for an Opel insolvency in the days preceding the deal.
