Schroeder: Türkiye's EU bid offers bridge to Muslim world

German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder on Friday backed Türkiye's bid to join the European Union, calling it a historic chance to connect Europe with the Islamic world. He argued that a democratic Türkiye committed to European values would demonstrate that Islam and modern society are fully compatible.

EU leaders are set to decide at a 16-17 December summit whether to open accession talks with the predominantly Muslim nation of 72 million. Schroeder suggested Türkiye could serve as a model for neighboring Muslim countries, and said no country meeting democratic standards should be denied membership.

Historical summary. TurkishPress restated this AFP wire report, first published in November 2004, in its own words.