Turkey has been an integral part the twists and turns of European history for 700 years. She has had her good days and bad days, she has played with strong hands and weak hands, but she has always been an influential player at the table of European politics. Our countries know each other rather well.

We should remember this long history of engagement when discussing Turkey’s European Union membership negotiations, which formally began just last year. An EU report on the progress of the talks, due to be released on Wednesday, is being seen by some as a “crisis point”. Yet there will be no vote on accepting Turkey as a full member of the union for at least another decade.