Vatican 'not opposed' to Turkish membership 

Vatican spokesperson Federico Lombardi told Anatolia News Agency: "If Turkey fulfils its obligations and meets the requirements of the EU criteria, why shouldn’t it become a full member of the EU? The issue of Turkish membership is a political one.” He added: “We must note that the Vatican is not a member of the EU."

Lombardi also emphasised that the Vatican had never officially declared to be against the Turkish EU-membership bid, but Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger, before he became Pope Benedict, was known to be openly opposed to Turkey joining. In 2004, he was quoted in Le Figaro as saying: "Turkey has always represented a different continent, in permanent contrast to Europe."

The Pope is to visit Turkey on 28 November 2006. It is his first visit to a Muslim country since he took office. 

Meanwhile, more than 20,000 Turks took to the streets in protest against the Pope’s visit. Many still feel offended by the Pope’s remarks at a lecture in September 2006, where he quoted Emperor Manuel II of the Byzantine Empire saying that Mohammed had brought the world only "evil and inhuman" things.