Turkey reignited talks on joining the European Union in October 2005, more than 40 years after it first began to woo the emerging bloc. But a little more than two years later, many arguments still remain for and against Turkish membership. What precisely is the problem, and how does the accession process work? <br />http://www.newser.com/2008 - Newseren-usNewser Feed GeneratorWed, 03 Dec 2008 22:32:21 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/26110/turkey-eases-controversial-insult-statute.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThe Turkish parliament has approved changes to a notorious law that makes it a crime to "insult Turkishness," reports the Financial Times . Ankara legislators today amended the notorious Article 301, reducing the maximum sentence and requiring the justice minister to approve all prosecutions. But while nationalists are outraged, civil rights lawyers call the changes cosmetic at best.http://www.newser.com/story/26110/turkey-eases-controversial-insult-statute.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 30 Apr 2008 5:12:42 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/23086/court-could-outlaw-turkeys-islamist-government.html?refid=rss_all_defaultTurkey's top court has agreed to hear a case that could outlaw the nation's ruling party and bar its president and prime minister from politics, Reuters reports. The AK Party is accused of trying to undermine Turkey's secular constitution and establish an Iran-style Islamic state. The case pits Turkey's popularly elected government against the country's secular elite, including army generals.http://www.newser.com/story/23086/court-could-outlaw-turkeys-islamist-government.html?refid=rss_all_defaultMon, 31 Mar 2008 23:27:21 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/21574/merkel-crushes-sarkozys-plans-for-club-med.html?refid=rss_all_defaultNicolas Sarkozy has been forced to abandon his proposal for what detractors have called a French-led Club Med—a Mediterranean Union of southern European, Middle Eastern, and North African states—under fierce opposition from Germany. Angela Merkel has been a consistent opponent of the scheme, and she threatened a boycott of a Paris summit, says the Guardian . The incident is only the latest clash between Sarkozy and Merkel, signaling a low point in French-German relations.http://www.newser.com/story/21574/merkel-crushes-sarkozys-plans-for-club-med.html?refid=rss_all_defaultFri, 14 Mar 2008 5:27:29 CDThttp://www.newser.com/story/20216/booze-and-beats-dont-mix-in-turkey.html?refid=rss_all_defaultSinger Aslizen Yentur thought it was a joke when Turkey's top music channel axed shots of a wine bottle-laden table from her video. It wasn't, and now Turkey's broadcasting watchdog is drafting a bill to make scenes that encourage drinking illegal—supposedly to align with EU norms, the Independent reports. But critics charge the government is really trying to steer Turkey toward religious populism.http://www.newser.com/story/20216/booze-and-beats-dont-mix-in-turkey.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThu, 28 Feb 2008 1:59:59 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/62592/turkish-prez-hopes-2008-is-year-of-the-bid.html?refid=rss_all_defaultTurkish President Abdullah Gul said it is necessary to focus more on EU issue in 2008. Gul who visited Turkish Secretariat General for the EU (ABGS) in Ankara on Wednesday recalled that Turkey actually started membership negotiations with the EU in 2005.http://www.newser.com/story/62592/turkish-prez-hopes-2008-is-year-of-the-bid.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 13 Feb 2008 13:50:10 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/62591/the-financial-side-of-the-bid.html?refid=rss_all_defaultTurkey's bid to join the European Union offers a bonanza for European business, but not for everyone. While German trade and investment are booming, French business is suffering a backlash over President Nicolas Sarkozy's hostility to Turkish membership of the bloc.http://www.newser.com/story/62591/the-financial-side-of-the-bid.html?refid=rss_all_defaultWed, 13 Feb 2008 13:49:28 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/60723/turkeys-eu-bid-good-for-investors.html?refid=rss_all_defaultRhiannon Williamson, director of ShelterOffshore.com, said the government and most of the population were in favour of the country joining the international body.http://www.newser.com/story/60723/turkeys-eu-bid-good-for-investors.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThu, 07 Feb 2008 9:38:38 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/60728/turkish-pm-plans-talks-with-french-german-leaders-on-eu-bid.html?refid=rss_all_defaultPrime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said Thursday he would hold three-way talks with French and German leaders on Turkey's EU membership bid, which the two heavyweights of the bloc oppose. "The meeting will be held in Germany and the three of us will discuss together the process ahead of us," Erdogan told a press conference, without giving a date.http://www.newser.com/story/60728/turkish-pm-plans-talks-with-french-german-leaders-on-eu-bid.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThu, 07 Feb 2008 9:43:42 CSThttp://www.newser.com/story/60731/bush-backs-turkeys-eu-bid.html?refid=rss_all_defaultU.S. President George Bush on Tuesday expressed strong support for Turkey's bid to join the European Union following a meeting with his Turkish counterpart. Bush and Turkish President Abdullah Gul met in the Oval Office and then spoke with reporters.http://www.newser.com/story/60731/bush-backs-turkeys-eu-bid.html?refid=rss_all_defaultThu, 07 Feb 2008 9:53:28 CST