ISTANBUL - The drive from Ataturk Airport along the western shore of the Bosporus strait unveils a Turkish city that rivals the beauty of San Francisco.
Istanbul represents what many Turks aspire for their country to become and believe could be achieved by membership in the European Union: a young, educated, sophisticated and democratic society.
But alas, Istanbul is not Turkey.
While Istanbul may represent what Turkey could become, much of the country is still a Third World economy with a projected gross domestic product per person in 2008 of $6,710, according to the Economist magazine's annual report. That compares with other developed European economies such as Ireland ($62,450), Austria ($46,600), France ($43,600) Hungary ($13,860) and Croatia ($12,200).
Turkey's admission to the European Union clearly could benefit its domestic economy. But the predominantly Muslim country's embrace by the largely Christian nations of Western Europe is far from certain. The long-festering issue of sovereignty in Cyprus and the recently revived matter of Turkey's role in the Armenian genocide during World War I promise to keep the pressure on Turkey and those who support its E.U. membership.
But the West has reasons to embrace Turkey that go beyond economics and historical disputes. Here's a look at some of the pros and cons on what could be a pivotal decision for the West and the Muslim Middle East.
Pros
• Turkey is a democracy that aims to become the example of what a modern Muslim state can be. To have such a large country anchor the portal to the Middle East would be a great advantage for stability in Europe and the Middle East.