Danish PM Rasmussen speaks doubtfully about Turkish EU membership

Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, commenting in an newspaper interview on the reasons for the cancellation of the vote on the EU Constitution, originally scheduled to take place today in Denmark, said "I do not know whether Turkey has a place for itself in the EU." Rasmussen, speaking about the different crises experienced by the EU this last year, explained that the EU Constitution was being shelved for the moment for that reason in Denmark. Said Rasmussen, "Before voting on Turkish membership, the EU must take care of  its own problems. Even with talks scheduled to start next week with Turkey, I very much doubt whether Turkey will be able to fulfill all of the requirements for full membership. As far as I can see, there are serious questions as to whether there is a place in the EU for Turkey." Marianne Jelved, a former Minister of Economics and a member of the Social Liberal Party, which itself supports a Turkish EU membership, said in response to Rasmussen's comments that the PM's words were "destructive" and warned that "the EU will lose accountability and dependibility if it does not keep its words to Turkey, and if it keeps on changing its goals." Jelved also said the Danish PM was "playing with the trust accorded to the EU." Â