UK And France Reach Compromise Over Turkish EU Membership Talks

by Ulrika Lomas, for LawAndTax-News.com, Brussels

13 September 2005

It emerged on Monday that a compromise may have been reached with France, one of the strongest opponents of Turkey's EU membership bid, which would allow the latter country to begin talks in October as planned.

Earlier this year, Turkey signed a customs agreement extending cooperation to the new member states, but added a proviso stating that this did not imply recognition of the legitimacy of the Greek Cypriot government in Cyprus.

The EU has been struggling to agree the terms of a counter declaration in recent weeks which would be acceptable to France, Greece and Cyprus without driving Turkey away from the opening of talks.

Now France has apparently agreed with the UK presidency to accept watered-down wording which merely requires Turkey to recognise all member states before eventually joining the EU.

This was already the case, of course, and could hardly be otherwise. It would be difficult for Cyprus to agree to such an empty declaration.

Further discussion of the matter is set to take place on Wednesday.

Recommended