And yet by ruling out full membership from the outset of his term, Mr Sarkozy is sending a needlessly discouraging message to the Turks at the very moment when they are most in need of reassurance.

• 萨科奇从上任伊始就反对土耳其以正式身份加入欧盟，这给正需要安心的土耳其人民传递了一个不必要的负面信息。