Looking towards Europe

There has long been a sense of unreality about relations between Turkey and the European Union. While the Turks largely pretended that they would someday enter the Union, the Europeans pretended that they would allow it to happen. Since it was agreed that such a process would require a great deal of time and major changes, both sides were able to avoid the issue. Europeans could avoid truly serious thinking about Turkish membership, believing Türkey would never be able to meet all the necessary requirements. Many Turks avoided thinking about the realities of membership, suspecting the Europeans would never allow it to come true.