EUROPEAN
UNION FINALLY WELCOMES TURKEY
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AFTER
decades of seeking entry into the European Union, and last drama
and hitches, the EU formerly offered the prospect of full membership. |
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The
prospect of Turkey joining Europe's exclusive club had sparked
opposition in Germany and France. Some opponents, particularly
on Europe's "Christian Democrat" right-wing, have
focused on Turkey's Islamic religious heritage to argue that
Ankara should not be given full member status in the EU. |
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But
Turkey's PM, Recep Tayyip Erdogan rejected arguments based on
cultural difference. "Turkey is not an Islamic state but
a democratic one with a Muslim majority," he said. "Turkey
culturally and geographically belongs in Europe." |
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At
a summit in Brussels, Erdogan accepted the European offer after
he agreed to recognise the southern Greek Republic of Cyprus
which became a member of the EU last May. |
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Cyprus
was a very sensitive issue as northern Cyprus is Turkish, and
efforts to unite north and south earlier this year failed. Instead
of a united Cyprus joining the EU, it was only the southern
Greek republic that was able to join. |
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But
by an intriguing twist, Greece, Turkey's neighbour, historic
enemy and patron of Cyprus, is now a keen supporter of Mr Erdogan
and Turkish membership. |
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Over
the past few years, Turkey achieved a remarkable political transformation
which was required as a prelude to talks on entry in the EU. |
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Accession
talks are now to begin on 3 Oct, 2005, and it will take about
10 years for all the fine-tuning needed before Turkey becomes
an actual member. |
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A
FEW FACTS ABOUT TURKEY |
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*Its
779,452 sq km of territory is divided between Europe and Asia.
Its European neighbours are Bulgaria, Georgia, Greece, Cyprus
and Armenia. Its Asian neighbours are Azerbaijan Iran, Iraq,
and Syria. |
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*In
the times of St Paul, Turkey was a number of regions - Asia
Minor, Galatia, Cappadocia, Cilicia, Lycia, Lydia, Mysia, Phrygia,
Pisidia, Pamphylia. |
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*In
1923 Turkey was formed into a secular republic after the collapse
of the Ottoman Empire at the end of World War I. |
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*Its
capital is Ankara (Ancyra in Bible times). Istanbul is its industrial
and commercial hub. |
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*Its
population is 99% Muslim (80% Sunni, 20% Alevi). Armenians are
the largest religious minority (45,000), and Jews numbers about
35,000. |
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*Its
population is 70.7 million, including 13-19 million Kurds. When
Turkey finally joins, the EU's population of 455 million in
Jan 2002 will increase to above 525 million. |
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*Turkey's
entry into the EU will bring the number of Muslims in the European
block to about 80 million. |
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BETH-TOGARMAH |
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IT
IS interesting to watch developments in Turkey and the European
Union, in the light of Ezekiel's prophecy concerning the Russian-led
northern con-federation of the endtimes. |
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"Son
of man, set your face against Gog of the land of Magog, the
chief prince of Rosh, Meshech, and Tubal, and prophesy against
him, and say, The Sovereign Master, YHWH, says: |
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'Listen!
I am against you, O Gog, chief prince of Rosh, Meshech, and
Tubal. I will turn you around, put hooks into your jaws and
bring you out with your whole army - your horses and horsemen
all fully armed, and a great horde with large and small shields,
all of them brandishing swords. Persia (Iran), Cush (Ethiopia),
and Put (Libya) will be with them, all with shields and helmets;
Gomer (Germany) also with all its troops; and the House of Togarmah
from the far north (Turkey and the Turkic people of Central
Asia) with all its troops - many nations with you'." (Ezekiel
38: 2-6). |
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The
House of Togarmah in Ezekiel 38:6 is believed to be comprised
of the Turkic peoples of central and west Asia - Turkey, Azerbaijan,
Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan
and Sinjiang. |
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Beth-Togarmah
is linked with Rosh, Gomer and Persia (Russia, Germany, and
Iran) and the rest of the north-ern Confederation of Rosh, Meshech
and Tubal that comes down against Israel in the early Tribulation. |
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Although
the European (Roman) Confederation is becoming huge and powerful,
we can expect a massive cleavage in "The Union" as
the Antichrist rises to power. |
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Ten
nations will surrender their sovereignty completely to him,
but Turkey and Germany will shift their loyalties to the Northern
confederation. |
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TURKEY,
SYRIA SIGN |
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FREE-TRADE
ACCORD |
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FORMER
foes, Turkey and Syria have signed a free-trade accord and say
they agree to put their differences behind them. During a two-day
mission to Damascus, Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan, and his
Syrian counterpart, Mohammed Naji Otri, signed the deal. |
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"We
are in agreement. We want a comprehensive cooperation in the
region," said the Syrian premier, adding that Erdogan had
also agreed to increase the flow of water into Syria. Regarding
disputes over sharing of scarce water resources in the arid
region, Otri said those problems "are now forgotten." |
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The
free-trade accord is the cornerstone of efforts to boost the
newly found friendship between the two former foes. |
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Ankara
and Damascus share concerns over the Iraqi Kurds' aspirations
for self-rule in a future federated Iraq as they both have sizeable
Kurdish communities of their own. |
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In
1998, the two countries nearly went to war over Ankara's accusations
that Damascus was sheltering separatist Kurdish militants fighting
the Turkish government. - Damascus / AFP / 22 Dec 04 |
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We
can almost say that Syria will definitely be allied with Russia
in the endtime northern confederation. |
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Both
are "Kings of the North." So watch for signs of the
growing Russian-German-Turkish-Syrian-Iran- Central Asia axis. |
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With
Russia now disturbed by Ukraine's expected defection, Moscow
will be more determined to gain influence and woo Turkey and
the Middle East. |
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