British Prime Minister David Cameron visits Turkey. Today in Ankara, he quoted the following words of an important person in the history of the EU:
"Here is a non-European country... A country that points out a totally different direction with her history, her economy, her agriculture and the character of her people.. A country that will never become a full member in spite of all her ambitiousness and confidence..."
Whose words are these?
"Charles de Gaulle," Cameron answered himself. He continued with more interesting remarks:
"These words sound like they were uttered by a European, while speaking of Turkey's EU membership. However, they were said by De Gaulle about Britain's EU membership, before our accession. We know what it's like to be shut out of the club. But we also know that these things can change."
I don't know enough about the domestic policies of Cameron; but when I look at his foreign policy, I see that Europe needs more statesmen like him, not xenophobes like Nicolas Sarkozy and Angela Merkel...
...or Charles de Gaulle, who had promised associate membership to Britain just like Sarkozy-Merkel propose privileged partnership to Turkey...
I say this not because Cameron simply pleased me with his pro-Turkey stance in the EU, but because he shows that he has got a vision and a courage in spite of racists. It seems that David Cameron will not appear on the world stage as small-minded as the vanguards of the Old Europe.
