Support for EU falls in Turkey - poll

By Staff
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Google Oneindia News

ANKARA, July 11 (Reuters) Turkish public support for joining the European Union has fallen further, according to an EU survey unveiled today, days before parliamentary elections in which nationalists are expected to do well.

The Eurobarometer poll showed 52 per cent of respondents believed Turkey's EU membership would be a ''good thing'', down from 54 per cent last autumn.

The poll, which canvassed about 1,000 people in Turkey from April 10 to May 10, also showed the number of Turks who trust the EU had declined to 38 per cent from 42 per cent.

Releasing the findings at a news briefing, Martin Dawson, a diplomat at the European Commission delegation in Ankara, said they should not be viewed pessimistically as Turkish public support for the European Union fell to 44 per cent last July.

Turkish support for the European Union stood at 75 per cent in 2004, but has eroded amid a perception the wealthy bloc does not really want to admit the large, mainly Muslim country and that it keeps imposing fresh conditions for eventual membership.

Turkey began EU accession talks in 2005 but negotiations have been suspended in eight of 35 policy areas because of a Turkish refusal to open its ports and airports to traffic from EU-member Cyprus, a country Ankara does not recognise.

The EU accession process has barely featured in Turkey's election campaign.

The ruling centre-right AK Party, which has introduced a swathe of EU-backed political reforms, is worried that reminding voters about the accession process could boost nationalist parties keen to exploit Turks' anger over the perceived EU bias.

The AK Party is widely expected to win the July 22 election but possibly with a reduced majority. The far-right Nationalist Movement Party (MHP), which is critical of the EU, is also expected to win seats in the new parliament.

REUTERS SBC PM2246

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