THE HAGUE, Sept 11 (AFP) - Dutch Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, whose country holds the rotating EU presidency, spoke on Saturday of the positive role Turkey, an aspiring EU candidate, could play in the region.
The Dutch leader said Turkey could have "a positive influence on other Islamic countries in the region," in an interview with a Dutch daily.
Balkenende said in the interview with NRC Handelsblad that he was hoping for "an even-handed debate" about Turkey`s aspirations of becoming a future EU member.
"In Europe, we do not just have Greek, Roman and Judeo-Christian traditions, but also Islamic and Arab influences," he said.
"They are clearly recognisable and also make up part of Europe," he added.
The EU has promised to make an announcement about opening adhesion negotiations with Ankara at a summit on December 17.
Doubts have been raised in many high-level EU circles about Turkey`s long-term secular and democratic credentials.
And according to EU sources, five or six of the 30-strong European Commission are either hostile to or have serious reservations about Turkey`s EU application.
In an interview with a German newspaper published on Saturday, EU enlargement commissioner Guenter Verheugen said Turkey was unlikely to join the European Union before 2015.