Chapter 14 Turkey and the European Union Global Issue II

Introduction There are a few arguments for Turkey’s acceptance into the EU – Turkish Ottoman Empire’s rule in the region – Contribution to culture There are several obstacles to Turkey’s acceptance into the European Union (EU) – Armenian genocide – Tension Turkey and Cyprus – Turkey is a poor country

Turkey’s History: The Ottoman Empire One of the world’s greatest powers until the end of the 17 th century – Extended from North Africa to Mesopotamia (Iraq) – Laid claim to land in the Balkans and Vienna Downfall began in the 16 th century with the modernization of Europe – Technology fell behind – Loss of First Balkan War

Biggest Obstacles to EU Membership Refusal to acknowledge the genocide of Armenians during World War I – Armenians still demand a formal apology for the massacre in 1915 – The EU wants Turkey to make retribution as Germany did for the Holocaust Tension between Turkey and Cyprus – Due to Greek-Turkish War in the 1920’s Turkey is a poor country – Average per capita income is $12,300, EU average is $33,000 Turkey is a Muslim country – This should be a reason to be admitted as much culture, such as coffee shops, have come from the Turkish