Azerbaijan, Baku, December 14 / Trend , U.Sadikhova /
Minaret crisis in Switzerland is a local problem of a European country, and it will not affect the process of European integration of Turkey, said Suleyman Sensoy, head of the Turkish-Asian Center for Strategic Studies (TASAM).
"Minaret crisis is an important event, but this is a local problem in Switzerland. It would be unfair to refer it as to a common European problem," Sensoy told Trend , saying that if the EU wants to prove "it is not a Christian Union and is open to entire international community, adopting an Islamic country like Turkey is necessary."
Turkish government's sharp criticism over the ban on the construction of minarets in Switzerland, adopted by referendum, can become a negative factor in the negotiations on Ankara's obtaining a permanent membership to the European Union, Western media reported.
In Switzerland, where the majority of Muslim population are immigrants from Turkey and Balkan countries, 53 percent of 59 voters supported the initiative of the right-wing People's Party of Switzerland.
Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan described the decision of referendum as humiliating, citing the fact that in his country the Public budget provides funds for the reconstruction of Christian churches and holy places.
Some European media outlets reported that the decision to ban construction of minarets in Switzerland, a country which is considered to be a defender of human rights, shows the unwillingness of Europe to see a Muslim country in their ranks.
But the Turkish analyst Sensoy does not agree with this, commenting minaret crisis as local for a European country. However, he said that if the European Union wants to take a leading position in world politics and prove that it is not the ally of the Christian countries, then working together with Turkey is paramount.
"The big EU powers, organizations, leaders understand this perfectly, but due to some historical events, ignore this process [the European integration of Turkey]," said Sensoy
Now Turkey is waiting for the EU to withdraw from the depression caused by the financial crisis, and will work more on this process, said Sensoy, adding that there are no technical delays in Turkey's accession to the EU.
Negotiations on Turkey's accession to EU, begun in 2005, faced with the unwillingness of some European Union countries to admit the country that has human rights problem, but also because of Ankara's refusal to admit the Greek part of Cyprus as an EU member.