Dog vil jeg som det tyske formandskabs holdning sige meget klart - det tyske formandskab har jo klarere end tidligere tyske regeringer fremhævet Tyrkiets status som ansøgerland i forhold til Den Europæiske Unions medlemsstater - at forudsætningerne for medlemskab af Den Europæiske Union er præcis de samme for Tyrkiet som for alle andre, det vil sige, at Tyrkiet ikke får nogen bonus på grund af landets særlig vigtige strategiske beliggenhed og ikke nogen minuspoint, fordi det er et islamisk land.
However, in terms of the position of the German Presidency - which has given greater prominence to Turkey's status as an EU applicant country than did previous German governments - I would like to make it very clear that the same requirements for membership of the European Union apply to Turkey as to all the others. This means that Turkey is not at an advantage because of its particularly important strategic position, and it is not at a disadvantage because of the fact that it is an Islamic country.