As we all know from the classes, and some comments on the blog, Turkey has wanted to accede the European Union since 1987, when it made its application. Even though Turkey has been an associate member of the European Union since 1963, it was one of the first members of the Council of Europe in 1949, was a founding member of the OECD, and is also an associate member of the Eastern European Union, its EU membership has been pending since 1999. To access the EU, Turkey must first successfully complete negotiations with the European Commission on each of the 35 chapters of the Acquis Communautaire (the total body of EU laws accumulated so far)., most of which are currently close to completion, while others need considerable efforts (to see the full chart go this article on Wikipedia).
There are different points of view from the different leaders of the world on wether Turkey should or not join the European Union. Former french president Jacques Chirac supporeted Turkey's entrance, but he said that the country needed to undergo a "major cultural revolution" (read: religion incompatibility) and that it would take them at least 10 years. Queen Elizabeth II also supports Turkey's bid, "Turkey, with its strategic location straddling Europe and Asia, would be an asset for the European Union." she stated. In contrast, the current French president Nicholas Sarkozy opposes its entrance, his major reason being that Turkey is not in Europe, but in Asia Minor, instead what he wishes "to offer Turkey is a true partnership with Europe, but not integration into Europe". Angela Merkel, the German chancellor also opposes Turkey's full entrance to the EU. Other leaders that support Turkey are Spain's Prime Minister Zapatero, Italian Prime and Foreign Ministers Silvio Berlusconi and Franco Frattini (respectively), and Portuguese State Secretary for European Affairs Manuel Lobo Antunes.
Sources:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Accession_of_Turkey_to_the_European_Union
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/france/1499966/Turks-need-cultural-revolution-to-join-EU.html
