In response to Hetq's question as to why the European Union again refused membership to Turkey, political analyst Ruben Safrastyan stated that the EU had no choice but to take into account the rise of human rights violations in Turkey. Mr. Safrastyan also stated his conviction that there were deeper factors at play, one being that the desire on the part of Turkey's upper echelons to integrate into the EU had waned during the past year. The expert credited this waning desire on internal developments now taking place in Turkey. "The Turkish elite last year was split to a degree and the Islamist-leaning regime had to make certain compromises with the military to retain power," Mr. Safrastyan noted. It is his opinion that a segment of the ruling elite is is attempting to review what the role of Turkey should be in the Near and Middle East and to move Turkey more in line within the status of a eastern state since, "They see the east as the region where they can strengthen the nation and not by going down the European road."