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Dear Sir,

I agree in general with Ray Fleming in his Saturday's Viewpoint on allowing Turkey into the EU. People who know Greece and our own Spain can attest that they have their backward areas but places like Ankara are as modern and western as Athens or Madrid. The resistance to Turkey's entry is from France, Netherlands and Germany but everyone knows who really rules in the EU – Germany.

What I disagree with is his statement that “Germany is home to some two million once-welcome working Turkish immigrants”. Angela Merkel has referred to the substantial number of Turks invited as “guest workers” several years ago but who have now overstayed their welcome. In fact the immigration took off in the late 50's when a boom in the economy was impeded by a labour shortage of able men after the toll of WW II. It started with Italians (circa 1955) then Spanish (1959) next came Greeks (1960) and Turks (1961). The construction of the Berlin Wall in 1961 by communist East Germany was to stop the exodus of their young men of whom some 3.5 million had already decamped to the West. The Industrialists of West Germany wanted cheap labour but the population never ever welcomed Turks nor the earlier Italians nor the Spanish. I arrived in 1961 as a Gast Arbeiter years before the next Georgies of Auf Weidersehen Pet who “arrived” in 1983. I was a worker but never a guest. I started lodging in barracks with Italians then Turks. When the management discovered I was not, as previously assumed, a member of the “untermensch” I was promoted to the compound of the East Germans. The prejudice against foreigners was palpable – right in your face. In a queue in a shop as soon as I spoke they knew I was an “auslander” and they would ignore me and go onto the next customer. On one occasion when this happened my companion (German) objected pointing out that I was British. Profuse apologies followed but I lost my calm and cut them dead saying they'd learned nothing from the holocaust. It silenced the whole shop. I left Germany early - after 4 months of racial prejudice.

Mike Lillico, Playa de Palma

Dear Sir,

Once again, the hoary old question is asked will wealthy and free spending tourists. versus the mass of less affluent, some of whom, disport themselves in one or two resorts, with alcohol fuelled excitements, but who outnumber the rich visitors by thousands. At least, they are confined to a tiny part of Majorca, and, with proper policing, the worst of their depredations could be curtailed. The advent of “Angeis” noted by Anna Nicholas has already seen them in action, giving them a favourable welcome in Santa Ponsa, one of our more decorous resorts. We shall see how they cope with the hordes who will no doubt, descend on Magalluf. They will surely have a calming effect there.

Coming back to your original question, whether rich, lucrative spenders would help to give the Island a more up-market appeal, I am not so sure. I accept your point regarding all-inclusives, but I am afraid that the argument has been lost, witness the rise in such holiday hotels in many other countries, some in direct competition with the Balearics, to realise there is no turning back. We have (I mean the authorities) got to make the best of the reality, that in my opinion, has served us very well over a long period and proven by the great numbers of hotels catering to an obviously satisfied clientele as pictured on Page 3 this weekend's Bulletin. It may go against the grain to some, but “ Sun, Sand, Sea, and Sangria” is a potent mixture, attractive to the vast majority of our tourists. By all means let five-star hotels be built, but not at the expense of your bread and butter ones! Yours Sincerely,

Phil Green. El Toro