"The Silent Revolution in Turkey"

Up to 10,000 Turkish soldiers are meant to be moving into Iraq as peace-keeping troops in autumn – the third largest contingent after Americans and British. As desirable as Recep Jayyip Erdogan may find a better relationship with his disappointed allies in Washington, his real political goal is the entry of his country into the European Union.

70 percent of Turks want EU membership. Western European diplomats in Ankara believe that the progress report by the European Commission, which is expected in October, will be "very positive".

If reforms are now implemented at a similar pace, the Community will have trouble getting round offering Turkey a date for beginning membership talks in December 2004 – as announced in Copenhagen."