An email regarding Turkey and the EU

This is the content of an email i sent to a friend last week.

Watched n-tv tonight (cnn equivalent in germany) and in particular their
version of Foreign Correspondant. See this, for program details
http://n-tv.de/421.html (and if you can understand german).

Several telling points were made:
* On asking a westernised 35-year old lady (who works as a graphic designer)
resident of Istabul what will change if they enter the EU she remarked that
nothing will change unless there is a change in the "mind" and "spirit" of
the people and a more ready acceptance of human rights.
* Christian clergy cannot be lawfully trained in Turkey (still)
* Minority populations are dwindling in Turkey.
* There is a yawning gap between the Turkey as seen in the major cities and
Turkey as seen in the rural areas. Obviously cities are more western and the
rural areas more traditional and unaccepting of western ideals.

Now Turkey is starting membership talks. Why does the EU care for Turkey?

An email regarding Turkey and the EU

This is the content of an email i sent to a friend last week.

Watched n-tv tonight (cnn equivalent in germany) and in particular their
version of Foreign Correspondant. See this, for program details
http://n-tv.de/421.html (and if you can understand german).

Several telling points were made:
* On asking a westernised 35-year old lady (who works as a graphic designer)
resident of Istabul what will change if they enter the EU she remarked that
nothing will change unless there is a change in the "mind" and "spirit" of
the people and a more ready acceptance of human rights.
* Christian clergy cannot be lawfully trained in Turkey (still)
* Minority populations are dwindling in Turkey.
* There is a yawning gap between the Turkey as seen in the major cities and
Turkey as seen in the rural areas. Obviously cities are more western and the
rural areas more traditional and unaccepting of western ideals.

Now Turkey is starting membership talks. Why does the EU care for Turkey?