In 1683 Turkey was the invader. In 2004 much of Europe still sees it that way

Guardian Unlimited | Special reports | . In 2004 much of Europe still sees it that wayMany of you who come here often will have noticed that I have a two-way attitude on Islam; on the one hand I recognise that there are a lot of Muslims who are reasoanble, and whose expression and articulation and uinderstanding of their faith is something of beauty and on the other hand I fear that in the 'title deeds' of Islam and some mainstream strands of interpretation there are some things that make for a fearful prospect. I am not uncritical either of my own Christian background and recognise that some things are mirror images.

I'll lay my cards on thetable with Turkey in the EU; my first reaction was of hopei it wouldn't happen: when I asked myself why it seemed to come down to a sense of a different civilisational root and of greater alien-ness [and this sense that most of Turkey isn't in Europe anyway]. And I think some of the alienness is about the Islamic thing. However, I have thought better of it: it's a secular nation [like France] with a particular religious heritage [again like France], it bans the hijab in public education [like France] ... But seriously: the EU should be about meeting difference with community and I think that it would be good for the peace of the world if Turkey and the EU could make a go of it. I would hope that the engagment of Europe with Islam in a national form and of TUrkey with the secular and religious character of the rest of Europe could bring about something of a dialogue of civilisations that is much needed. I'm not sure, at the end of the day, that the religious difference in social and political terms is so much greater than those that are already to be found in Europe. But I would invite historians and political scientists to comment.