16/12/2002 (Agence Europe) - The United States (which had applied pressure to support their ally, Turkey) has welcomed the Copenhagen decision to launch Turkey's accession negotiations with the European Union in December 2004 if Turkey meets the necessary political criteria. US pressure may have played a role, but also led to irritation. Commissioner Chris Patten, for example, wondered in an interview how the US would have reacted if the EU advised them to integrate Mexico. In his speech, the US spokesperson said that "while the United States is not a member of the European Union, we support Turkey's pursuit of its European aspirations, and encourage our friends and allies to work energetically towards this historic goal… Turkey's continued evolution toward Europe, and its eventual membership in the European Union, demonstrates for the continent and the entire world that Islam and democracy are fully compatible", he added.