Baku, Azerbaijan, Jan. 13
By Jamila Jafarova - Trend:
In Turkey's case, Islamophobia may take an odd twist over the debate of who is a moderate Muslim, according to Theodore Karasik, the senior advisor to the Risk Insurance Management in Dubai, UAE.
He said the question on religious and ethnic identity may open a new fissure in Turkey's view on the "neo-Ottomanism".
Karasik further said that Turkey will not join the EU, adding "because the European Turks will become marginalized and targeted, because of perception that they support extremists."
Turkey's PM Ahmet Davutoglu, while on a visit to Paris to take part in a march in memory of terror attack victims, said had Turkey joined the EU, Europe would not have inter-religious hatred. He said all the ongoing developments in Europe, including the rising Islamophobia, will not bring any good results.
Terrorists, presumably having ties to radical Islamic circles, attacked the office of satirical weekly magazine Charlie Hebdo in the 11th arrondissement of Paris on Jan. 7, killing 12 people. Following this, they took almost 20 hostages and killed four of them on Jan.9.
Davutoglu expressed regret that as of recent, some political circles benefit from the developments in Europe, including from rise of Islamophobia.
Turkey has long been working towards being accepted into the EU, however so far it hasn't happened. The official negotiations on Turkey's accession to the EU were resumed in 2005.
According to the country's officials, Turkey fulfilled 65 percent of its commitments to the EU for accession to this organization.
Turkish deputy prime minister, Bulent Arinc, said earlier that Turkey's accession to the EU is no longer attractive for the country's citizens. He said that previously 75 percent of Turkey's population supported the country's accession to the EU, however now this figure stands at 20 percent.
Turkish Minister for EU Affairs Volkan Bozkir said the talks between Turkey and the EU can't continue in the format demanded by the organization. Furthermore, he said that democracy in Turkey is at a higher level than in some European countries.
Edited by SI
