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10 nations join European Union

By Batuk Gathani

BRUSSELS DEC. 14. With the European Union throwing open its door to 10 new countries, the organisation is emerging as the world's largest market with a population rising from the current 370 millions to 450 millions.

The expanded Europe will stretch from Portugal on the Atlantic coast to the borders of Russia in the heartland of the Euro-Asian continent. The E.U. last night took in Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic, Slovakia, Slovenia, Malta and Cyprus. Bulgaria and Romania will also become full members in 2007. The expanded E.U. of "solidarity and unity'' is structured on a common economic and political heritage, based on the key principles of multi-party democracy, rule of law, free market economy and border tariff-free trade.

Last night, the E.U. summit at Copenhagen ended with a show of unity and bonhomie among the delegates who were deeply aware of the historical importance of the occasion. This was highlighted by the former communist-ruled Eastern Europe embracing multi-party democracy and free market economy. There was much backslapping and hugging as Government leaders gathered for a "family photo" opportunity.

Poland, the largest of the new entrants, was to come last on board after finally accepting new financial arrangements. A visibly emotional Prime Minister of Poland, Leszek Miller, described the occasion as a historic one and said, "Today, Poland comes from a `Poland of Solidarity' to a Europe of Solidarity.'' The expanded E.U. comes into being 13 years after the fall of the Berlin Wall when the Soviet Union melted away, highlighting the end of the Cold War. As an ecstatic President of the European Commission, Romano Prodi, put it, "The accession of 10 new member states will bring an end to divisions of Europe.''

The secular but Islamic Turkey, with a population of nearly 70 million, still remains a big question mark on the map of the expanded E.U., but in a historic move, the E.U. leaders also accepted that Turkey can become a full member of the Union provided it put in motion reforms to meet European standards of good governance.

The Turkish press on Saturday expressed deep dismay at the E.U. summit outcome. "Once again, a broken dream'', read a headline in Cumhuriyet, a prominent Turkish daily. Despite such disappointment, however, Turkey is moving closer to entry negotiations with the E.U. The Turkish delegates even accused E.U. officials of treating them differently from the 12 other candidates for membership.

As Turkey's Prime Minister, Abdullah Gul, put it, "If Turkey joins the European Union, it will prove that a Muslim country can be democratic, transparent and comfortable with the modern world. This will enrich the European Union.''

However, the former French President, Valary Giscard d'Estaing, last night refused to budge from his stand expressing deep reservations about Turkey becoming a member of the E.U.

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