According to Erdogan, Benedict now endorses the “grave error.” But it is still a grave error, regardless. “Pope Benedict Backs Turkey’s European Union Bid, Erdogan Says,” by Flavia Krause-Jackson and Mark Bentley for Bloomberg, with thanks to Looney Tunes:
Nov. 28 (Bloomberg) — Pope Benedict XVI said he backs Turkey’s bid to join the European Union, Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan said after meeting the pontiff upon his arrival in Ankara for his first visit to a Muslim country.
The Pope told Erdogan that while the Vatican seeks to stay out of politics it “desires Turkey’s membership in the EU,” Erdogan said at a news conference after the 15 minute meeting that initiated his four-day visit to Turkey. As Cardinal Joseph Ratzinger he had said in 2004 that allowing Islamic Turkey to join the EU would be a “grave error.” The Vatican has yet to confirm Benedict’s comments today.