Provided that that Kurdish human rights issue can be satisfactorily addressed and its economy is in a fit state, Turkish accession is desirable and should be strongly supported. We tend to forget the debt of gratitude the western world owes to Turkey. Since the emergence of the Soviet super power after the Second World War, Turkey has been the ever vigilant eyes and ears of the west. As it straddles the entrance to the Black Sea, Turkey has monitored the comings and goings of the Russian Black Sea fleet on an ongoing basis and has dutifully reported such movements to western governments.