Obama: EU membership for Turkey would be positive signal to Muslim nations

PRAGUE (AP) — President Barack Obama is urging the European Union to accept Turkey as a member, saying it would be a positive sign to the Muslim world.

Obama spoke Sunday at a luncheon for leaders of the EU's 27 nations in Prague. He said the West should seek greater cooperation and closer ties with Islamic nations. He said letting Turkey into the EU would be an important sign of those efforts.

France, Austria and other nations oppose Turkey's long-running efforts to join the European Union. EU members have urged Turkey to do more to guarantee minority rights, curb powers of its military and pass new rights for trade unions.

Turkey's population is mostly Muslim. Obama visits there Monday and Tuesday.

This cannot be allowed to happen. Turkey is about ninety five percent muslim. If allowed into the EU those muslims would be allowed to move freely to any EU nation. They would flood in an Europe would be lost to islam forever.