Turkey's EU membership issue became a reason for differences between Obama and Sarkozy

PanARMENIAN.Net - I've said publicly that I think Turkish membership of the EU would be important," Obama told reporters at a joint press conference with Sarkozy in France before they attended commemorations for the 65th anniversary of the D-Day landings in northern France on Saturday, stating that Sarkozy "has a different view."



"What the US wants to do is just to encourage talks and discussions where Turkey can feel confident that it has a friendship with France, with the United States, with all of Europe and to the extent that it defines itself that it has an opportunity to be a part of that," Obama went on, urging France and other European countries to help efforts to reach out to the Muslim world. "In all of this, I think that Europe and France have a role to play just as the United States does, to send a signal to Muslims around the world that we welcome and want their participation in a world community that is peaceful, that is prosperous, that is developing in favor of all people."



Sarkozy said France would continue to oppose Turkey's membership in the EU, although he said he agreed with Obama that close ties with Turkey should be maintained. "It's very important for Europe to have borders. For me Europe is a force of stability in the world and I cannot allow that force for stabilization to be destroyed," he said.