Earlier this year, some Turkish officials thought of a way of increasing ordinary Europeans’ knowledge about their nation and its culture. They planned to build on the success of “The Turks”, a London exhibition of a millennium’s worth of Turkish artefacts, and take the show to France. It did not work out. A little sounding-out made it clear that, at a time when Turkey’s membership of the European Union is on the agenda, the French public opinion was not yet ready to see had little interest in some of the artistic masterpieces of the country. that was allied with Paris as long ago as during the rule of Cardinal Richelieu.the 17th century.

Not just in France but across the EU, the idea of Turkish membership accession inspires little enthusiasm and plenty of downright opposition among EU electorates. Yet next Monday, Turkey is set to begin membership talks. with the European Union. EU. The overriding question is whether the EU is really serious about its plans for Ankara to join.