Turkey expressed elation and relief today finally to have started talks on joining the European Union but some warned of big obstacles on the road to membership.
"A new Europe, a new Turkey," said the Milliyetdaily, embellishing its front page with the yellow stars of the EU flag and a picture of Kemal Ataturk, the man who founded the modern Turkish Republic in 1923 and sealed its Western orientation.
"The journey has begun," said Radikal, above a photograph of Foreign Minister Abdullah Gul embracing his British counterpart Jack Straw in Luxembourg where an opening ceremony was held.
Turkey and the 25-nation bloc struck an 11th-hour deal to launch the talks late yesterday, despite deep European public scepticism that the Union will ever be able to digest the large Muslim country of 72 million people.
Some Turks were also sceptical, with one academic calling it an unsustainable deal that would spark crises without end.
But Prime Minister Tayyip Erdogan said Ankara was going into the process with a sense of realism, seeing the EU "neither as a dream nor as an easy target".
"EU membership ... is about turning Turkey into a society of democracy, freedom and justice," he told lawmakers from his ruling AK Party in Ankara.
"Our ideal is to take our place among the democratic, free and developed countries. The EU is the most appropriate route to reach this ideal."
Top-selling Hurriyetevoked past conflict between Turkey and Christian Europe, when Ottoman troops almost took Vienna, in describing the delaying tactics of arch Turkey-sceptic Austria during yesterday's long hours of bargaining in Luxembourg.
"Viennese Waltz -- Twice in history Turkey has been turned back from the gates of Vienna but this time Turkey is taking the road of peace and unity into Europe," the paper said.
But beyond the relief that talks have finally started after more than four decades of waiting, most Turks remained only too aware that membership is still far off and will require many difficult changes and sacrifices.