DO I like my present job as Lord Chancellor and Justice Secretary? Yes, I love it; and doing any of these jobs at the heart of government is a real privilege.
Do I miss the Foreign Office? Yes, sometimes. I don't miss being knackered, as I was on occasions, having one's body out of sync with the time-zone into which I'd just landed, nor being ever vulnerable to emergency calls in the middle of the night, or during key holidays. (We had four Boxing Days on the trot disrupted by one serious crisis or another).
But every Foreign Secretary I've known will say that it's among the best jobs in government; and on some days I miss it.
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So last week I was really in luck. I was able to combine my previous experience in the Foreign Office with my new job. It was off to Turkey for an official visit.
Turkey has an extraordinary place in both its geography and its history.
It's one of the very few countries which, according to most maps, straddles two continents, Europe and Asia, but in terms of its politics and its history it's long been seen as rooted in Europe - though with a long reach into Asia and the Middle East too.
Istanbul began on the European side of the Bosphorous, the straits which connect the Mediterranean to the Black Sea. It was fought over for centuries.
It was the seat of Roman church until the great schism in the 11th century which led to the division between the eastern Orthodox churches, and the Catholic Church based in Rome.
The Muslim Turks took over after a bloody fight in the 13th century, and from there expanded the Ottoman Empire to cover vast territory including the middle east and north Africa.
The empire lasted until the First World War. The Ottoman's unwisely chose to back the Germans in that conflict.
That sealed their fate. Indeed within a decade Turkey was totally transformed, from a creaking, part medieval theocracy, into a modern secular state by Kemal Attaturk, the revered father figure of today's nation.
After the Second World War, Turkey took key steps to bring itself right into the heart of the European family.
It joined the Council of Europe in 1949, joined NATO in 1952 and was first invited along the path to EU membership in 1963.
Roll forward to this century and this decade. One of the major files on my desk as Foreign Secretary was Turkey - and in particular ensuring, during the British presidency in late 2005, that a formal unanimous decision was made by all 25 member states formally to begin negotiations for membership with Turkey.
A deadline was set for 3 October 2005. In fact we only got agreement in the small hours of 4 October, but, tongue in cheek, I declared that we had being using "London time" and had just squeezed into the deadline. It was a wonderful night.
Since then, Turkey's negotiations have been a bit of roller-coaster.
The whole principle is very controversial in France, as it is in the Greek part of Cyprus.
But all parties in the UK are united in backing it. We need Turkey.
It's already the 16th largest economy in the world.
It's secular, but with a 99% Muslim population, and has good relations with Iran, the Arab states, and Israel.
Posted by: government mule, Ribble Valley on 9:50am Thu 29 Nov 07
I bet you want Turkey in the EU - that will bring trouble - i think Mr Straw is doing what most of his muslim constituants would like - more muslims in the UK what a splendid idea - how long before the civil war?
I bet you want Turkey in the EU - that will bring trouble - i think Mr Straw is doing what most of his muslim constituants would like - more muslims in the UK what a splendid idea - how long before the civil war?
Posted by: Matrix, blackburn on 5:48pm Thu 29 Nov 07
What a long term disaster it would be. Another load of muslims, this time Turks flooding these shores putting more unbearable pressure on the NHS, Schools, Housing etc.Jack,your a pratt,but so are most other politicians who have ruined this country over the last 30 or 40 years with there soft and blinkered decisions on immigration.
What a long term disaster it would be. Another load of muslims, this time Turks flooding these shores putting more unbearable pressure on the NHS, Schools, Housing etc.Jack,your a pratt,but so are most other politicians who have ruined this country over the last 30 or 40 years with there soft and blinkered decisions on immigration.
Posted by: Nostradanous, blackburn on 7:17pm Thu 29 Nov 07
This comment of jack as without doubt sunk to an all time low,before we can even thik of anymore contries joining the EU we must sort out this movement of people from one country to another,however the poeple who now run this country will swamp us with the dregs of everyone elses cast offs.and it does go without saying that our leaders will bow to there every needs,power crazy men,i refer them to a peom byRabbi Burns namely "A PARCEL OF ROUGES IN A NATION" a very fitting poem i would think..
This comment of jack as without doubt sunk to an all time low,before we can even thik of anymore contries joining the EU we must sort out this movement of people from one country to another,however the poeple who now run this country will swamp us with the dregs of everyone elses cast offs.and it does go without saying that our leaders will bow to there every needs,power crazy men,i refer them to a peom byRabbi Burns namely "A PARCEL OF ROUGES IN A NATION" a very fitting poem i would think..
Posted by: Worried, Blackburn on 8:58pm Thu 29 Nov 07
Does Jack Straw know how big Turkey is. We already have too many muslims here now, so if Turkey joins how soon will it be before we wake up one day and we have been taken over overnight.
Does Jack Straw know how big Turkey is. We already have too many muslims here now, so if Turkey joins how soon will it be before we wake up one day and we have been taken over overnight.
Posted by: Dave, Feniscowles on 11:14pm Thu 29 Nov 07
Ah, yes, that nice country Turkey where Christians are being murdered and where the current prime minister is a supporter of jihad. Jack is a laugh a minute in his craven attempt to appease the Muslims for personal electoral reasons.
Ah, yes, that nice country Turkey where Christians are being murdered and where the current prime minister is a supporter of jihad. Jack is a laugh a minute in his craven attempt to appease the Muslims for personal electoral reasons.
Jack straw rise to minister for justice whose his, this man abuses his position by enticing the police and the courts to harrass and arrest on allegatins people this is mr straws human rights mr straw is a self server and the qiucker we get rid of labour the new regime of similar goings on in the 40s namely the gestapo they did not need uproven allegations as jack straw did not they just took you out and shot you
Jack straw rise to minister for justice whose his, this man abuses his position by enticing the police and the courts to harrass and arrest on allegatins people this is mr straws human rights mr straw is a self server and the qiucker we get rid of labour the new regime of similar goings on in the 40s namely the gestapo they did not need uproven allegations as jack straw did not they just took you out and shot you
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