Monday, October 03, 2005

The Battle for Vienna

T�rkei lehnt �nderungen ab

There are serious problems in the ongoing discussions in Luxembourg on the opening of accession negotiations between Turkey and the European Union.

It's Austria that's blocking the entire thing. Although they have agreed previously on the opening of accession talks, they are now stalling and entering new demands which all aim at making the talks fail the one way or the other.

Once upon a time, it was the rest of Europe that come to the rescue of Vienna when it was faced with the onslaught of the Ottoman armies.

Vienna seems to be refighting that battle.

But in a critical difference, the rest of Europe isn't coming to its rescue. Instead, Austria is isolated among the European Union members.

Then, it was right to save Vienna. Now, it definitely is not.