Cameron 'angry' at delays in Turkey's EU membership talks

Britain's prime minister is slated to express his anger at repeated delays in negotiations regarding Turkey's membership in the European Union. David Cameron, who is currently visiting the Muslim state, will promise to support Ankara's membership in the EU.

The British leader landed in Ankara on Monday in what is his first visit to the country as prime minister. He met with his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan to discuss future cooperation between the two countries. A report by the British Broadcasting Corporation noted the leader will be heading to India after his visit in Turkey.

The British premier is scheduled to give a speech in Turkey on Tuesday which has already been widely covered by international media. Cameron is expected to say that a European Union without Turkey is "not stronger but weaker....not more secure but less...not richer but poorer."

Beginning of a wonderful friendship? Cameron and Erdogan in Ankara (Photo: AP)

"When I think about what Turkey has done to defend Europe as a NATO ally, and what Turkey is doing today in Afghanistan alongside our European allies, it makes me angry that your progress towards EU membership can be frustrated in the way it has been…My view is clear. I believe it is just wrong to say Turkey can guard the camp but not be allowed to sit inside the tent," he is expected to say.

Such statements from Cameron are expected to anger many of his fellow Tories, as well as his conservative European allies, namely French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Europe's rightist parties fear difficulties that may arise in welcoming a Muslim country into the 27-state block.

Turkey has spent decades trying to align itself with Europe. Talks on Ankara's bid to join the EU officially started in 2005. The negotiations, however were delayed again and again due to several of the member states' demand that Turkey be granted only partial membership.

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