Sarkozy: Turkey has no place inside the European Union

PARIS - French presidential candidate Nicolas Sarkozy on Sunday made his strongest statement to date against Turkey`s EU ambitions, saying "Turkey has no place inside the European Union".

"I want to say that Europe must give itself borders, that not all countries have a vocation to become members of Europe, beginning with Turkey which has no place inside the European Union."

"Enlarging Europe with no limit risks destroying European political union, and that I do not accept," he said.

Sarkozy was speaking during an acceptance address after receiving the nomination to be the ruling UMP party`s candidate in April`s presidential election.

01/14/2007 14:16 GMT

Monday, January 15, 2007