Brussels, 18/10/2010 (Agence Europe) - Those who, like French President Nicolas Sarkozy and German Chancellor Angela Merkel, are opposed to Turkey joining the EU “lack vision”, Turkish President Abdullah Gül told the Süddeutsche Zeitung of 16 October (our translation throughout). “The European Union, with its population of half a billion people, should not be scared of a country of 60 or 70 million citizens”, but should think about what Europe will look like in 25, 50 or 100 years. In the view of the Turkish president, it is clear that his country will not be able to join the EU “until it has reached the level of the other member states” - unless the Turkish people, who will certainly be called upon to decide in a referendum on accession after negotiations conclude, say “no” to joining the EU. This option cannot be ruled out, Gül said. At the time of going to press, Turkey had opened just 13 of the 35 chapters to be negotiated with the EU and only one of them has so far been provisionally concluded. (H.B./transl.fl)