After thirty hours of talks and 42 years of waiting, the moment has finally arrived. On 3^rd October, Turkey and the European Union agreed a deal to launch membership talks with an aim to bring Turkey into the EU by 2020. For Europe, this is a huge step and marks a revolutionary transition period from a union dominated by Western European, and ultimately Christian, traditions and ideals, towards a truly multicultural society. For although Turkey is a secular state, over 99% of the population are Muslim, and it would be hard to deny that building a bridge between Christian and Muslim heritage societies has to be one of the most important world concerns of the 21^st century.

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For Turkey, this is the culmination of years of progress towards acceptance as a viable modern republic, more in the eyes of the rest of the world than in its own. The Turkish Republic was founded in 1923 by Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, pulled together out of the rubble of the Ottoman Empire. Ataturk transformed the country, bringing in powerful social, legal and political reforms,

In 1945, Turkey became a member of the United Nations, joined NATO in 1952, and actually became an associate member of the European Economic Community as early as 1964. The transformation started by Ataturk has been cemented and augmented by the reforms made to meet the entry requirements of the European Union, and the process will continue as Turkey moves closer to acceptance. In 1993, the Copenhagen agreement set out the criteria Turkey would need to meet in order to begin talks, and Turkey pushed through “unprecedented economic and structural reform”[1] (including abolishment of the death penalty, provision of education for children in Kurdish, and implementation of the requirement for the head of the military to be a civilian), in order to meet the criteria, the crucial step that has led to this moment.

The likely effects of EU membership are various. The benefits for the EU could be more political than economic, given the sheer size of the Turkish Republic – over 780,000 square kilometres in area and a population of nearly 70 million people. But strategically Turkey controls some very important resources, and borders with eight countries, including Iran, Iraq and Syria in the east. Europe would see greater stability in the Mediterranean, Middle East and Black Sea areas, and of course in the relationship between Greece and Turkey – all of which would of course benefit Turkey as well – plus Europe would carry greater political weight as a diverse union with power on the borders of Asia.

For Turkey the benefits are more practical than theoretical. EU accession historically cements hard-won democracy in countries that have only recently made the transition. Additionally there are the economic benefits – stablisation of currency, foreign investment and an increase in foreign trade.

Turkey’s progress – and the reactions of France and Austria – will be watched eagerly over the next few years. One thing is certain though, and that is that the improvements that Turkey is making in order to meet the accession requirements will benefit the country profoundly and for ever.