On the other hand, the EU needs to reconcile further enlargement - a means of extending Pax Europea to the outer parts of the continent - with the strengthening of its internal cohesion, and hence its ability to continue delivering the goods. We have no simple recipe to follow. Many people are genuinely concerned that an ever enlarging Union will be an ineffective one. Others simply do not want Turkey in under any conditions. There is talk of enlargement fatigue. Those who try to be more constructive link further enlargement to internal EU reforms. This is not an anti-Turkish stance; it is simply pro-European.
Greece has much to gain or lose from Turkey's process of 'Europeanization': a stable, democratic and prosperous neighbor is in Greece' interest. But she also wants to insist on the further strengthening of the Union as well as on the peaceful resolution of bilateral issues with Turkey and the reunification of Cyprus. At this stage, the EU should deliver a clear message to Turkey, while keeping future options open and the accession train on track, albeit at a lower speed.

Loukas Tsoukalis is Professor at the University of Athens and Visiting Professor at Sciences Po in Paris and the College of Europe in Bruges. He previously taught at Oxford and at the London School of Economics. He is president of the Hellenic Foundation for European and Foreign Policy (ELIAMEP).