Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan dismissed suggestions Thursday that there is a risk of a clash of religions if his vast Muslim-majority country is admitted to the European Union.
Speaking after talks in Brussels on Turkey`s EU bid, he admitted that Turkey is different in terms of religion, but said that Europe is not a "Christian club" and could well integrate different faiths and cultures.
"Yes we have a different religion," he said, noting that 95 percent of Turks are Muslim. "Almost all of the EU states are Christian. From that perspective it is correct that we are different."
"But multiculturalism ... is the understanding which underpins the EU. The EU is not a religious club. What the EU is trying to do ... is to harmonize and to bring together and integrate different cultures and religions."
Critics of Turkey`s EU application say that the EU, which this year staged its biggest-ever expansion taking it from 15 to 25 member states, will simply be overwhelmed the cultural differences if Ankara wins EU membership.
Speaking after talks at the European Parliament, Erdogan noted that the EU started as the European Coal and Steel Community in the 1950s, turned into the European Economic Community and has now evolved into a still-expanding European Union.
"In the future it will be the meeting point of cultures and civilizations," he said. "To create such a political union will bring humanity to peace and to solidarity.
"Otherwise you see what is going on throughout the world. Blood and tears. This cannot be our future. We are fed up with that," he added.
European Parliament chief Josep Borrell agreed with Erdogan.
"The EU is not a Christian club and should never be considered such. Whatever the future of relations between Turkey and the EU there`s no possibility of any kind of religious clash."