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Bitter row over Turkish EU bid

Europeans haven`t agonized this much about Turkey since the Ottoman Empire was unravelling 100 years ago. The geopolitics may have been very different in the age of kaisers and sultans, of imperial gambits and gunboat diplomacy. But one central question has persisted: What sort of alliance should bind Europe to the very different civilization on its eastern doorstep?

EU enlargement is always controversial - and Turkey is proving the most controversial of the lot because of its striking difference from the European norm in terms of economics, demography, culture, religion, and even basic geography. Opponents fret that a new member as large and poor as Turkey would adulterate European values.

The crucial question is whether these differences will enhance or undermine the EU. Proponents say incorporating a Muslim-majority country for the first time will help the EU reach out to the Islamic world, and see Turkey",s young, growing population and economy as a boon. Still, two-thirds of Europeans oppose Turkish membership, according to a recent EU survey.