ISTANBUL - Turkey-European Union (EU) Joint Parliamentary Commission (JPC) Co-Chairman Joost Lagendijk expressed thought on Sunday that religious differences would strengthen Europe.
Speaking in a meeting on ''Turkey on the road to EU: economic, socioeconomic and cultural effects'' held in Istanbul, Lagendijk noted that many people in Turkey thought that some circles and some people would bring forth some pretexts, put obstacles before Turkey since majority of Turkey's population were Muslim.
Lagendijk stated that those who thought that way were minority in Europe.
Expressing thought that religious belief was a private issue and it should not be involved in politics, Lagendijk noted that many European people were thinking the same with him.
Lagendijk stated that EU and European Parliament (EP) were in fact discussing those issues and EU's Christian roots were being discussed.
What was important was reaching universal goals around which everybody could gather not those Christian roots, Lagendijk stressed.
Lagendijk said that majority of Muslims in Turkey was a factor which would be beneficial for Turkey not a negative factor following the September 11th terrorist attacks in the United States.
EU had launched initiatives to close its distance with Islam countries after those terrorist attacks, Lagendijk stated.
Lagendijk said that if EU's real approach was to close its distance with Islam countries, there was not any reason for EU not to admit Turkey, a Muslim and democratic country at the same time.
Islam in Turkey had always been moderate not fundamental, Lagendijk stated.
Lagendijk said that there were many mosques in his country and it showed that they were respecting people of different beliefs.
If they were talking about a Europe which sheltered diversity and different cultures and beliefs, Turkey's accession would not be infirmity for Europe but would strengthen Europe, Lagendijk noted.
Lagendijk said that one of those differences might be religious difference and expressed belief that it could strengthen Europe.
When developments in the last two years were taken into consideration, everybody could witness that an important part of Europe's history was being shaped up, Lagendijk emphasized.
Lagendijk wished that EU would start entry talks with Turkey within the following year and Turkey would become an EU member one day.
(BRC) 18.04.2004