Europe's imperial arrogance

The long history of Turkey's attempt to join the European Union has been fraught with misunderstanding, anger and bad will over the years. The hoops expected of the Turks have been smaller and smaller. Ever since 1963 when Turkey first became an associate member the promise of membership has been dangled with increasing demands.

Today the EU surpassed itself.

Turkey must coordinate its foreign policy with the European Union, the bloc’s executive warned on Tuesday as it presented its annual report on the country’s progress towards EU membership.

In the report itself it says,

"Turkey has achieved a high level of alignment in the area of external relations. However, further work remains to be done in many areas, in particular on the general system of
preferences with regard to its geographical coverage".

Turkey has its sphere of influence in the Turkic nations, and Europe has hers. From what the EU is saying now they seem to think that what's theirs is theirs, and what is Turkey's is theirs too. How very 19th Century.

Others have learnt not to push Mehmet around.