December 26, 2004: At their final summit meeting for the year held in Brussels on December 16-17, 2004, leaders of the European Union reached an historic agreement to begin official negotiations with Turkey on that country’s bid for full membership in the EU. If negotiations are successful, Turkey would become the EU’s first Muslim country. Since a sizeable portion of Turkey is also outside the traditional geographic scope of Europe, the Brussels decision is viewed by some political observers as setting the stage for a new phase in future EU development.

The possibility of Turkey becoming a full member makes many EU leaders and citizens nervous. An interesting dichotomy has emerged between some EU leaders and their citizens, especially in France and Germany. French President Jacques Chirac and German chancellor Gerhard Schröder have been quite vocal – individually and jointly – in supporting Turkey's bid for EU membership. Public opinion polls in both France and Germany have repeatedly shown that a majority in both countries oppose Turkey's admission into the EU, largely over concerns about the effect that Turkish membership might have on European institutions and culture.

In a personal appeal to the German people published in the "Bild Zeitung", the largest circulation daily newspaper in Germany, Erdogan emphasized the importance of Turkey’s geographic location at the center of Eurasia with historic ties to the Balkans, the Caucasian region, Central Asia and the Middle East. He also rejected claims that Turkish EU membership would become a financial burden on the EU budget. In his public relations effort, Erdogan emphasized that if the EU "wants to be a power and play an important role in the world, then the path will lead through Turkey" ("Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung", December 17, 2004).

Negotiations on Turkish membership in the EU may last for ten years or longer, and the start of negotiations is no guarantee that they will be concluded successfully. If they are successful, all current EU members must approve the final treaty stipulating the conditions for full Turkish membership. France and Austria have already announced that a referendum will be held so their citizens can decide how their countries should vote on the issue. Other countries may follow suit. The violent reaction in the Netherlands to November's assassination of Dutch movie director Theo van Gogh in Amsterdam by a Muslim extremist shows how easily a referendum could be influenced by unexpected developments. Read full report: On the European Union Menu: Turkey.