In a foreign policy speech, Miliband said being European is about values, not race or religion, and therefore having a Muslim country with a secular public realm can only strengthen the union, according to Internet portal EurActiv.
Britain is a staunch supporter of Turkey's accession into the EU. Other countries, including France and Germany, are opposed to the idea, proposing instead a privileged partnership with Ankara. Miliband said in his speech on Monday that he was aware of such views, but added that in his perspective most of these concerns “are based on a static and frankly out-of-date view of what modern Turkey is.”
He said Turkey's membership will bring advantages to the EU, pointing to its role as an important transit country for securing Europe's energy supply, as well as for tackling drugs and international criminal routes.
Although some tended to see Miliband's speech, in which he also spoke about Europe's responsibility to integrate the Western Balkans, as an effort to boost his chances to become the EU's high representative for foreign affairs, British diplomats dismissed the suggestion.
Many pundits believe Miliband's pro-Turkey position will likely exclude him from the race, as he would be vetoed by "more than one country,” according to EurActiv.
