British Council-Turkey joining the EU

Transcript of the podcast

Fatma: I think it’s very important for us to become part of the EU. I think Turkey should join by 2008 at the latest

Hakan: I don’t agree with you at all. I really just don’t understand the point or see any benefits that it would bring us

Fatma: Well, greater economic stability for a start. That’s the most obvious and most important thing. If we started to use the euro we would get that stability

Hakan: I’m not sure…look at what happened in other European countries when the euro came in – they all had terrible inflation!! I don’t want that to happen in Turkey too

Fatma: Inflation wasn’t just caused by the euro, there were other reasons. Anyway, at least having the euro would make travelling easier – we wouldn’t have to change money and pay commission rates to banks

Hakan: But we risk becoming the same as everyone else. Same money, same TV channels, same films, same music…McDonald’s everywhere

!Fatma: That’s American and nothing to do with Europe

…Hakan: Sure, but it’s all part of the same process

Fatma: Oh nonsense! Come off it! If Turkey wants to become a modern nation with a strong voice in international affairs, it must become part of the European Union

Hakan: I’m not so sure about that we have other traditions, we are more Balkan and Mediterranean, we have a different history

.Fatma: Europe is a multicultural continent. Every country in Europe has a different history

Hakan: Well, that may be, but perhaps it’s not up to us to decide. Perhaps Europe doesn’t want us

Fatma: Hmmm…well, you’re quite happy to be part of Europe when Fenerbahce are doing well in the Champion’s League

Answers

N1. H
N2. F
N3. F
N4. F
N5. H
N6. H
N7. F