In Europe, resistance to Turkish membership has in fact been growing.

The Vatican has never issued a formal position on Turkish membership.

Turkish membership, pending since the 1980s, is a more contentious issue but it entered negotiations in 2004.

Greece is already a member and could veto Turkish membership.

But there's no doubt that some other European countries are very opposed to full Turkish membership, so we have to go on making the case.

Let me start with the position of those who are simply opposed to Turkish membership.

There is no way forward other than that of full Turkish membership.

Turkish membership cannot therefore be dismissed on religious or geographical grounds.

We need to see action over some of those areas before we can consider Turkish membership.

May I also take up another matter connected with Turkish membership.